


Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Atonement

by kiben007



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amalthus is an actual villain this time, Don't fix what ain't broke, Gen, It's Xenoblade 2 but with a good story this time, Morag is also basically the same, Nia has consistent characterization, Rex is basically just Booker DeWitt, The Architect doesn't contradict Xenoblade 1 canon anymore, Tora isn't weirdly horny, Vandham gets more screen time (sort of), Zeke is exactly the same
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-11-02 09:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 261,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20704349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiben007/pseuds/kiben007
Summary: Rex is a bitter salvager who sells weapon parts to make ends meet. Nia is a Driver with a past she's trying to put behind her. A chance encounter and a stroke of bad luck sets them on a journey with the world's most powerful Blade to a place no one's ever been. Rex doesn't think it exists, but for Nia it might be her only chance at redemption.A complete, top to bottom rewrite of every cutscene from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Torna: The Golden Country.





	1. Chapter 1 - Encounters

Rex squinted into the depths as he dove beneath the Cloud Sea. His headlamps helped illuminate the darkness, but at his current depth it only amounted to fifty peds in front of his nose. It wasn’t long, however, before his lamps lit up the hull of an old Titan battleship. He scanned its surface for a moment before spotting something worthwhile: an old, rusted crate resting against the Titan’s hide. Rex took aim and fired his diving suit’s wrist-mounted anchor straight into the Titan’s armor, where it held fast. He began reeling himself toward the dead beast, extending the metal cleats of his boots as he did so.

He landed on the side of the Titan with a thud. After taking a moment to correct his balance, he walked over to the crate and attached a large disk to the side. He twisted the handle on the disk’s top and took a step back. Within seconds, it expanded into a balloon and began rising, taking the crate with it. Shedding the weights from his belt, Rex swam up and caught the top of the crate as it ascended.

The hook of a crane loomed overhead. He grabbed it as the crate passed by, hooking it onto the handle of the balloon. Once the crate was secured, he swam up to a small platform attached to the crane’s wire. Grabbing onto the platform’s guiding wire, he rested his hand against a button attached to its side. Taking one last look around, Rex switched off his lights and pressed the button. The crane lurched and began pulling Rex and the crate up out of the cloud sea.

As rex breached the surface, he looked out through the bars in front of his faceplate at the Titan he called home, a much smaller Titan than the behemoth he’d been salvaging just moments ago. He maneuvered the crane over a clear spot on the Titan’s back, square in between his makeshift garden, firepit, fishing lines, and various pieces of junk and equipment anchored to the spines jutting from the Titan’s sides. Once the crate touched down on the Titan’s back, Rex jumped from the crane’s platform and disconnected his oxygen mask, throwing off his diving helmet.

“We really do need to buy ourselves a new depth probe.” Rex sighed as he removed the outer coverings of his diving suit. “The ping was off by one hundred and fifty peds to the east.” He continued to talk out loud as he walked over to the crate and disconnected the crane’s hook from the top. “That’s not gonna fly!” He turned around and walked toward his house, a metal cylinder nestled between the Titan’s shoulders.

“And what about the Treasure, Rex?” The Titan asked as Rex picked up a crowbar from next to a nearby crate. “Was it in line with your expectations?”

“It seemed pretty solid.” Rex replied, twirling the crowbar in his hand as he walked back toward the crate. “Didn’t even have to reinforce it too much. Even with the material costs, we should be able to turn a decent profit.”

“Honestly,” The Titan said as he raised his head from the water. “It takes you two days to run the structural analysis.” He turned around to face Rex, the fin-shaped plates on the side of his head creaking. “Yet somehow you can gauge the profits in an instant?”

“Don’t go raining on my parade, Gramps.” Rex groaned as he squatted down next to the crate. After examining it for a moment, he took a step back and wound up the crowbar. “You know I’m in the salvaging trade for the cash.” He grunted, slamming the crowbar into the seam of the crate’s lid. He began pulling the crate open. “A little business sense goes a long way, alright?” Rex strained his last word as the crate’s lid finally gave way.

Once the crate gave way, a custip—a large, blue crustacean-like creature—came barreling out. It snapped its pincers at Rex as he stumbled back.

“I didn’t expect that!” Rex said, his eyes going wide. “Have you been living in this thing, big guy?”

The custip charged him, but he jumped back and rolled out of the way.

“Rex!” Gramps shouted, trying to look over his shoulder and see what was going on.

“No worries, Gramps!” Rex smiled, tossing the crowbar aside. He ran back into the house and grabbed his scrap-metal broadsword from the foot of his bed. He dashed back outside as the custip reared up, preparing another charge. “I think we know what’s for lunch!”

The custip lunged at Rex again, striking out with its pincers. Rex rolled to the side, barely avoiding the creature’s claws. Once back on his feet, Rex jumped forward and reeled his sword back, slamming the blade into the custip’s side. It reared back in pain as Rex’s sword broke through its shell. He spun around, slicing open more of the custip’s shell, before bringing his sword to bear against the creature a second time. As Rex forced his sword into the creature’s wound once again, it cried out. The force of his strike knocked it to the ground, dead.

“Watch what you’re doing back there!” Gramps shouted as Rex knelt next to the custip and began hacking pieces off. “Didn’t I tell you not to be so rough? I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“Oh come off it!” Rex replied as he cleaned his kill. “I didn’t exactly have a choice, it came charging at me. And besides, this means I don’t have to pay for food for a while.”

“Are you planning on eating that entire custip?” Gramps asked, raising a brow plate.

“Not all at once. If I stretch this out long enough, I won’t have to overpay for food in Argentum for at least another week or two.”

“You’ve been buying food from the Guild? I thought you still had some of Corinne’s cooking left over.”

“Gramps, Corinne hasn’t sent any food in months. Not since that fight we had during our last visit to Fonsett.” Rex finished slicing the custip to pieces and began setting up his grill. “So until she gets off her high horse, we’re going to be living off the land. Or sea, I suppose.” After that was done, he laid one of the custip’s pincers across the grill’s mesh and started on the myriad of tasks left in front of him after pulling up a haul.

“I wish you’d try to see things from her point of view.” Gramps frowned. “The arms trade is a dangerous business. She doesn’t want to see you get hurt, or worse, hurt someone else.”

“Oh not this again.” Rex groaned. “Money is money, Gramps. I was barely making pocket change salvaging scrap metal. She may not like where the money’s coming from, but I’m sending it all the same.”

“And are you still setting aside money for that search of yours?” Gramps stared at Rex. Rex didn’t meet his gaze.

“Look…” Rex sighed. “I don’t need a lecture right now, Gramps. I need to get this salvage sorted, and I’ve half a dozen other chores to do besides. If Auntie Corinne wants to give me a piece of her mind she can make the trip to Argentum and do it in person. I’m certainly not crawling back to her anytime soon.”

“I swear, Rex….” Gramps shook his head as he turned back around and continued swimming. Rex, meanwhile, continued with his tasks. After a long period of uncomfortable silence, Rex stopped, the smell of meat cooked to perfection wafting through his nostrils. He sat down next to the grill.

“A-ah… The brazier does my weary old bones much good…” Gramps sighed, stretching his neck. “At least something good’s come out of your stubbornness.”

“Want me to move it, Gramps?” Rex asked, turning around sheepishly to face the Titan.

“No, that’s quite alright. Leave it right there…” Gramps sighed again.

“Righto.” Rex replied. He breathed a small sigh of relief and turned back to face his lunch. Mouth watering, he grabbed the grilled custip claw and began chowing down. He only managed to get a few bites in before he heard a cry echo across the cloud sea.

On the horizon, a massive whale-shaped Titan breached the surface of the sea, keening as it arced into the sky. It let out one last wail as the blue light in the center of its stomach faded to black. Slowly, the Titan stopped moving, and sank back beneath the surface of the cloud sea for the final time. As it died, the Titan kicked up a swell of clouds that buffeted Rex and Gramps after it went under. Once the winds died down, no trace of the Titan remained.

“And there goes another one…” Rex shook his head.

“It’s been happening more frequently than before.” Gramps nodded solemnly. “I hope no one was still living there.”

“Anyone with a brain would’ve left long ago.” Rex said, turning back to face his meal. “Titan’s don’t exactly die quickly.”

“Yes, I suppose. Even still, no good comes from a Titan’s death.”

“It’ll make people more desperate than they already are. And that means the Guild will raise prices again. I should make a tidy profit selling this scrap off at the exchange.”

“Rex!” Gramps shouted. “That’s a horrible thing to say!”

“Relax, I was kidding.” Rex chuckled. “The Guild probably wouldn’t spike its prices because of the death of one Titan. Though I wouldn’t put anything past the Chairman...” He stood, staring at his food.

“Hey, Gramps.” Rex began speaking again. “Do you think…” He stopped for a moment, turning back to stare at the spot the Titan went under. “Will Fonsett village be gone too, one day?”

“It would not be today, or tomorrow, but one day, yes, it will fall…” Gramps trailed off.

“And you too?” Rex asked, looking up at Gramps.

“That’s how it goes with us Titans.” Gramps replied, smiling down at his charge. “There’s no way around it. Sadly, someday there’ll be nowhere left for humans to live. Unless, that it, everyone could somehow move to Elysium.”

“Paradise atop the World Tree…?” Rex cast a glance at the object in question, a towering plant growing out of the center of the Cloud Sea and extending its branches beyond the sky above. “People should be looking out for themselves, not up at some fantasy land.”

“Legend says the Titans were born up there.” Gramps continued. “Mind you, I was born here on Alrest, but who could say where my ancestors were born. Perhaps it does exist after all. And if a paradise of plenty really is waiting for us up there, would that be so bad? Everyone could live in peace, with no need for fighting.”

“There’s no use dwelling on a fairy tale, Gramps.” Rex picked up his custip claw and took another bite. “We need to be spending our time in reality. And our reality is making money. Which, speaking of, I should get back to.” Rex quickly scarfed down the rest of his food and cast the empty custip shell aside. He walked over to his storage locker and began examining the salvage he’d pulled from the crate in detail. After careful consideration, he closed the shed’s lid and gave a satisfied nod.

“I think this haul should be enough for today.” He said, placing his hands on his hips. “Oi, Gramps! Care for a little swim to Argentum?”

“You’re planning on selling it now?” Gramps replied with a yawn. “It’s getting toward my bedtime.”

“Don’t play the lazy old man with me.” Rex crossed his arms and frowned. “There’s plenty of sunshine left.”

“Kids these days…” Gramps said, rolling his eyes and turning to face forward. “No respect, I swear…” He continued to grumble as he set off, swimming toward Argentum.

-

Some time later, Gramps pulled up next to a pier on the side of Goldmouth, the mobile Titan ship headquarters of the Argentum Trade Guild. Anchored underneath a floating Titan that resembled a cross between a blowfish and a goldfish, Goldmouth was the largest civilian Titan ship in Alrest, complete with a sprawling market, a flight deck, a residential area mostly populated by Nopon, and on either side the busiest ports of all the seven Nopon Trade Guilds. Gramps moored beside several other, smaller Titan ships closer to his size. He hadn’t even finished slowing down before Rex jumped off his back and onto the pier. As he dismounted, a blonde-haired Ardainian man in his late twenties approached Rex from the end of the pier.

“Why, if it isn’t Rex!” The man called out, waving Rex over to him. “How’s business?”

“Going alright, Hirkham.” Rex said. “Else I wouldn’t be here.”

“Fair point. So, which one am I unloading?”

“We can leave that until I’m done negotiating. Shouldn’t be too long.”

“Well, you know the rules, Rex. Fifteen gold per half-day.” Hirkham held out his hand.

“Right.” Rex muttered. He reached into one of his belt pouches and rummaged around. After a moment, he withdrew his hand, frowning. “I’ll have your gold after I sell the stuff.” Rex pushed past Hirkham and continued running toward the central exchange.

“Hey, hold on!” Hirkham shouted after Rex. “You know I can’t do credit!”

Rex ran through the crowd and up Goldmouth’s port-side dock toward the central exchange. As he moved, he spotted another ship moored on the other end of the docks. It was a battleship made entirely out of metal, no Titan in sight, with an ornate golden prow and a massive, metal plated hull at least twice the length of Gramps from horn to tail. He stopped to admire the ship for a moment before Hirkham’s shouting reminded him to keep moving.

Once at the central exchange, he ran up to a booth sitting squarely in the middle of all the activity in Goldmouth. Running the booth was a yellow Nopon wearing a garish pink outfit. Rex took out a crumpled sheet of paper from one of his pouches as he approached.

“Hey, Melolo. You’re looking fine this afternoon.” He said, placing the paper on the small desk in front of her. “This is everything I brought up in my last haul. What’ll you give me for it?”

Melolo picked up the paper with one of her wings and examined it for a moment. Putting the paper down, she rummaged around in a drawn next to her and pulled out a sack of coins. She opened the sack, carefully meted out two dozen or so coins, and pushed them toward Rex.

“What, that’s it?” He said, staring at the meager few hundred gold on the table.

“That’s life, meh!” Melolo responded, shaking her head. “This still more than Melolo give to non-friend! You not bring any military supplies today!” She glanced at a group of Ardainian soldiers gathered near one of the ports. “Ceasefire between Mor Ardain and Uraya not keep for too much longer, methinks. So does Chairman, apparently, because he hike prices on all military salvage!”

“Sorry, I don’t have any for you today.” Rex said, taking some of coins off her desk and sliding them into his belt pouch. “But I’m keeping my eyes peeled, I assure you. The second I pull some up, you’ll be the first to know.” Rex finished pocketing the coins, leaving about half the pile on the table. “You know what to do with the rest.” He said, motioning toward the leftover gold.

“Okie-doodles.” Melolo nodded. She began raking the rest of the pile into an envelope. “Is beautiful thing, friend! Sending money home at such young age. I touched! Wish my own dum-dum littlepon did same!”

“It’s not like I have much of a choice.” Rex chuckled. “If I didn’t send money back, Auntie Corinne would tan my hide. I’m just trying to stay alive. I’m counting on you to keep me that way.”

“Roger!” Melolo smiled as Rex pulled away from the booth. “Pleasure doing business!”

As Rex moved through between the market stalls, casually perusing the goods, he spotted another yellow Nopon moving through the exchange, this one wearing a full suit and flaked by stocky Urayan bodyguards. The Nopon was making a beeline straight for Rex.

“Hello, Rex!” The Nopon said as the two crossed paths. Unlike Melolo, this Nopon spoke with a sophisticated lilt, despite still talking in typical Nopon broken grammar.

“Pupunin!” Rex shouted in reply. “It’s been a while!”

“Rex looking high spirits!” Pupunin said, looking Rex up and down. “Ah, no, how say…” He stood quietly for a moment, thinking. “Yes, peppy!”

“I’ve been worse.” Rex said, smiling amicably. “So, you’ve got something for me? A new job, maybe?”

“Something like that.” Pupunin nodded in agreement. “Ah, by the way, Rex come from Fonsett Village in Leftherian Archipelago, yes?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Why d’you ask?”

“Perfect!” Pupunin clapped his wings together. “Rex should go straight to boardroom of Chairman. He ask for Rex by name.”

“The Chairman?” Rex raised an eyebrow. “Now I know you’re pulling my leg. After how badly I bungled the last job, I-”

“Water under bridge!” Pupunin flapped his wing dismissively. “Chairman recognize Rex’s potential, so should not keep him waiting.” He laughed.

Rex nodded, waved goodbye to Pupunin, and took off through the market. The Chairman’s office sat above the marketplace, a constant reminder of the Argentum Trade Guild’s authority to the residents and merchants below. When Rex reached the top of the stairs, he found the door open, flanked by another pair of bodyguards. Hesitantly, Rex stepped through the door.

“Thank you for accepting summons!” A Nopon at the other end of the room spoke. He had a thick, hard to place accent. “It has been entirely too long since we last spoke, Rex.” He was twice the size of a normal adult Nopon and had turquoise fur. He draped himself in golden ornaments like a cape and wore an ornate ruby monocle over his left eye. His hair was long, purple, and stuffed up into a top-knot that spread over his head like a comically-sized flower bud. As Rex approached, he twirled his long mustache and smirked as wide as a Nopon could.

“Chairman Bana.” Rex bowed as he looked around the room. Several scantily clad human women stood around the room, watching his every move. “I’m honored you decided to give me another chance.”

“You are a salvager of some renown.” Bana continued. “Should not let one unfortunate slip-up dictate entire career. Bana recognize that friend has much potential to benefit us both. That being the case, Bana have teensy-weensy favor to ask of Rex.”

“I won’t let you down again, sir.” Rex nodded, shifting his weight nervously.

“Good to hear you are so eager. Reward for job is one hundred thousand gold.” Bana smiled, watching Rex’s eyes widen even further.

“A hundred thousand?!” Rex shouted, taking a step back.

“Friend hear right. Actually, that just the advance.” Chairman Bana stood up, spreading his wings. “Another one hundred thousand provided upon completing job.”

“Two hundred thousand gold…” Rex looked down at his hands. “I-I must be dreaming…” After a moment he clenched his fists and smiled. “I’ll do it!” He looked back up at Chairman Bana, putting on his best ass-kissing smile. “I hereby swear to use every skill I possess to ensure the job is successful!” By the end he could barely contain his excitement and began breaking into spontaneous giggling.

“You agree without even hearing details of job?” Bana frowned, narrowing his eyes.

“O-oh, right.” Rex responded, talking a moment to compose himself. “Well, I’m confident I can give a more than satisfactory performance, no matter the job. So… What is the job, anyway?”

“Acceptable, I suppose.” Bana sighed. “Here, crew will explain task.” He turned to one of the women standing by a door in the side of the room. “Bring them in.”

“Sir.” The girl replied, giving a small nod. She turned and threw open the large double doors behind her. She walked through them, swaying her hips, and disappeared. A moment later, a large group of people emerged from them.

First was a cat-eared Gormotti girl with short, gray hair who wasn’t much older than Rex. Following her was a large, white tiger dressed in some sort of armor, with glowing blue crystals on the tops of his paws and chest. Next was a man with cropped, black hair and piercing eyes wearing ancient black plate armor. Behind him was a hulking humanoid reptile wearing a combination of ritualistic cloth and armored plating. A glowing crystal was imbedded in the middle of its chest as well. The last man to walk through the door wore gray armor with short sleeves and a long waistcoat. He had long, unkempt silver hair and wore a horned mask over the top half of his face. Through the mask, the man’s eyes looked cold.

“May I introduce-” Bana motioned toward the group with his wing.

“Jin.” Rex cut him off, locking eyes with the man in the mask. “Leader of Torna, Alrest’s most dangerous anti-Praetorium terrorist organization. Number two on the Empire’s list of most wanted individuals.”

“Can’t draw too much attention.” The black-haired man smirked, leaning up against the wall.

“You two raided an imperial battleship less than a month ago.” The girl said, standing to the other side of Jin. “I’d hardly call that subtle.”

“And yet they’d rather spend their time hunting for Walraig’s band of deserters. That’s humanity in a nutshell. Too concerned about petty grievances to notice-”

“Malos.” Jin said. The other man put up his hands in mock defeat as Jin took a step toward Rex. “You know who we are. Is that going to be a problem?”

“That depends.” Rex said, hand resting against the handle of his sword. “There used to be a town in Leftheria, near where I grew up. Rigitte village.”

“That wasn’t us. We’re liberators, not murderers.”

“Speak for yourself.” Malos muttered. Rex flashed him a glare, and Malos’s grin widened.

“Ignore him.” The girl sighed.

“Right…” Rex studied Jin for a moment. His eyes looked almost pitying. Rex lowered his hand and relaxed his shoulders. He did his best to put his smile back on. “I’ll take your word for it. And no, there won’t be any problems. I’m a professional.”

“Best salvagers are so often temperamental.” Bana said. “You’ll have to excuse friend Rex his quirks.”

“So long as he does the job.” Jin said. “Now, to business. We’ve had our eye on the wreckage of an old Titan for some time now. There were some current shifts, and it showed up in an uncharted area. Current estimates put it farther down that we’d like, but this could like our only opportunity to pull it up. We need to move as fast as possible.”

“Nice!” Rex boasted, puffing his chest out. “I like a good challenge!”

“Bana offer to assemble team of veterans for this job.” Bana said, examining his wings. “But this crew very picky. They want small, elite team. And at least one member specifically from Leftheria. That when Bana have stroke of genius! Should hire Rex!” His smirk returned as he looked between Rex and the crew of drives.

“You made the right choice!” Rex laughed, grinning from ear to ear. The Gormotti girl began laughing and doubled over for a moment.

“An amateur like you, working with us?” She remarked as she recovered. “That’s hilarious. Jin, don’t tell me we’re really going to pick this kid for the job.”

“What the hell?” Rex shouted, looking the girl over. “You look as much like a kid as I do, lady!” He pointed a finger at her accusingly.

“Age doesn’t factor into it.” The girl crossed her arms and leaned forward. “I wouldn’t bend over backwards at the promise of a measly hundred grand!”

“What’re you tryin’ to say?” Rex took a step towards the girl, but the tiger at her side strode forward, forcing him back. It cleared its throat and began speaking.

“Rex, was it?” The tiger asked. He had the voice of a worldly, noble gentleman. “I implore you to excuse my lady’s discourtesy.” He bowed his head.

“Dromarch!” The girl turned to her Blade. “What have I told you about speaking for me? I don’t-”

“No use arguing about it, Nia.” The man in the black armor interjected. The girl, Nia, backed up a step as he pushed himself off the wall. “We’ll just have to see what he’s got.”

The man drew a large, glowing, curved sword from his back and rushed forward, swinging at Rex’s head with blinding speed. Rex dodged underneath the attack, the sword barely missing the top of his scalp, and rolled over to Bana’s desk as the man swung at him a second time. Rex drew his broadsword from his belt and took a step forward, bringing the weapon down against the man. In response, the man held up his sword with one arm and casually blocked Rex’s strike with a smirk. Rex grit his teeth, looking up into the man’s condescending gaze. The man flicked his wrist and broke the struggle. Rex stumbled back and regained his footing.

“What’re you playing at?!” He shouted, his eyes darting between the three drivers and two blades.

“Well, well, well…” The man said, smiling to himself as his sword’s glowing blade dissolved into thin air. “What do we have here?”

“Malos!” Nia shouted. “What’s gotten into you? What good is it, beating up a kid?”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you?” He turned toward her with a self-assured smirk. “What if the kid’s not up to it?”

“I said nothing of the sort!”

“You did think it though, right?” Malos raised an eyebrow. “And anyway, now we know. You’ll do right enough.” He stepped toward Rex. “Though you don’t look like a Driver. Where’d you learn those Arts?”

“Gramps showed me a thing or two.” Rex replied, still gripping the handle of his broadsword. “Even when I was little, that was his idea of playtime.”

“Well, you’ve got some skill, I’ll give you that.” Malos looked Rex over. “Guts, too. Kid, you better work hard.” He slit the hilt of his sword back onto his belt and turn toward the door. “Sever, let’s go.” His Blade, Sever, followed him through the door. Jin, the silver haired man, did as well. After a moment, Nia sighed and did the same. Dromarch gave Rex a small nod and went after his lady.

“Meh-meh-meh!” Bana shouted as soon as the Drivers left. “Friends are such rowdy bunch!” He reached into his desk and hefted out a sack of coins from one of the draws. He threw it onto the desk, and it landed with a heavy thud. “Here is advance. Use to buy what gear you need, the go to dock on starboard. Bana has arranged excellent vessel for you there.”

“You got it.” Rex said, sheathing his blade and taking the pouch of coins from Bana’s desk. He left the room as quick as he could, shaking his head. As soon as he left Bana’s office, he sprinted back down to the port-side dock. He arrived back at the pier he had left Gramps waiting at, only to find it empty. Rex looked around for a moment before spotting Hirkham talking with another customer nearby.

“Hey Hirkham, what gives?” Rex asked, stomping up to him and shoving the merchant he was speaking with to the side. “Where’d Gramps run off to?”

“You’ve got some nerve.” Hirkham responded. “I sent him off. I can’t have him taking up space from paying customers if you’re too stingy to pay your mooring fees.”

“I told you I’d have it once I got done negotiating.” He snarled. He reached into his belt pouch and removed a gold coin, throwing it in Hirkham’s face. “There’s your docking fee. And once Gramps gets back you can tell him that I’ll be gone for a while because I’ve taken an important job. From Chairman Bana himself.” Rex scoffed at Hirkham and walked off toward the markets once again.

“Cheeky brat.” Hirkham spat as he bent down and picked the coin up off the ground. Rex, meanwhile, sprinted back to Melolo’s booth at the central exchange.

“Melolo!” He shouted, stopping himself just short of slamming into her desk.

“Rex back again?” Melolo asked. “Did friend forget something.”

“No, I didn’t forget anything. I need to make a cash transfer.”

“Friend change mind?” Melolo asked. “Want to send rest of money to village?”

“Not quite.” Rex smirked. He slammed the sack of one hundred thousand gold onto Melolo’s desk. She let out a small gasp and nearly fell of her cushion.

“Where Rex find this much gold?” Melolo said, feeling the weight of the sack in her wings. “Actually, no. No need to tell Melolo. Melolo not want get mixed up in shady business!”

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.” Rex frowned.

“Big deal or not, Melolo not able to accept such a large sum here. Should take directly to courier.”

“Alright, if you insist.” Rex said, picking the sack back up. He turned away from the booth and headed toward the other end of the market, below the Chairman’s office. As he walked, he noticed a Nopon selling equipment. He stared at the sack for a moment before changing course and stopping by the stall.

“Ah, friend Rex!” The orange Nopon said as Rex approached.

“Hey, Shynini.” Rex replied. “You still got that new suit we talked about?”

“Rex finally save up money to purchase?” Shynini asked, reaching back into one of her storage trunks and withdrawing a brand-new diving suit. “Friend sure, price is five thousand gold.”

“I’ll take it.” Rex nodded without hesitation. He withdrew a handful of coins from the pouch and handed some of them over in exchange for the suit. After a quick change, he waved goodbye and set off into the market again, this time heading straight for the courier.

“Hey, Max!” Rex waved as he approached a young Ardainain man set up beneath Chairman Bana’s office. “I’d like to transfer some money.”

“Pretty rare for a client to drop of cash in person.” Max crossed his arms. “What happened with Melolo?”

“She didn’t want anything to do with it.” Rex shrugged. “Said the sum was too big.” Rex presented Max with the sack of gold coins.

“Well…” Max whistled as Rex handed him the money. “I must say, you’re quite something. Not many people send this much money back to their folks. How much are we talking?”

“Ninety thousand, give or take. Can you deliver that to Corrine of Fonsett Village?”

“This much money? I could get it all the way to Tantal. Consider it done.” Max tied the pouch to his belt. “Where’d you get all this gold anyway? Did you haul up some huge treasure?”

“You could say that.” Rex beamed. “I took a job from the Chairman.”

“That sure sounds like I pie I’d want a piece of.” Max shook his head. “Lucky bastard. I’ll make sure this gets to Corinne safe and sound. Anything else?”

“Nothing comes to mind…” Rex paused for a moment. “Do you have any packages for me, actually.”

“Let’s see here…” Max grabbed a clipboard from a box next to him and skimmed through several pages attached to it. “Nothing’s coming up. You expecting something? You’ve been asking me that for three weeks.”

“No.” Rex sighed. “It’s nothing, forget I asked. Just make sure you take care of that transfer for me, okay?”

“You can count on me.” Max smiled, flashing Rex a thumbs up. He returned a half-hearted smile and walked off. After a short walk, he found himself on Goldmouth’s starboard deck, where several of Bana’s men were loading up a large Titan ship anchored to a floating dolphin-shaped Titan.

“Wheeling out the Maelstrom for this?” Rex whistled as he watched the men work. “Bana sure has deep pockets...”

“Gawking at a boat?” Nia said, strolling up behind Rex with Dromarch in tow. “For someone who hates being called a kid, you sure do act like one.”

“What’s my age got to do with anything?” Rex turned around and snapped back at her. “I can tell an awesome feat of engineering when I see one.”

“You don’t close your mouth soon, you’re going to swallow a fly.” Nia responded, crossing her arms.

“Well you might want to watch where you stand.” Rex said, motioning at the coil of rope Nia had her foot in. “Otherwise, when we cast of, that rope’ll take your leg off.”

“Eh!” Nia gasped, jumping back.

“Gotcha!” Rex smirked.

“Why you little-”

“Now look whose mouth’s hanging open!” Rex laughed. Nia fumed as Jin, Malos, and Sever all approached The Maelstrom behind her. As Rex laughed, another salvager came up behind him.

“Rex, we’re heading out.” The man said. He was dressed in a full diving suit, minus his helmet. “There’s no one seeing you off, right?”

“No, no one.” Rex muttered, his mood quickly souring. He shot the man a dirty look. “Since when has anyone ever come to see me off, Spraine?”

“Just checking.” Sprain replied, putting up his hands. “While I’m here, you’ve got the first night watch. Till then, rest up inside.”

“Aye Aye.” Rex nodded, turning away from Nia and the other Drivers and boarding the C.S.E.V. Maelstrom. Nia clicked her tongue and followed him, with the rest of the mysterious crew close behind. After everyone boarded, the Maelstrom un-moored from the pier and began sailing, lifted into the sky by its Titan.

-

Hours later, long after the sun had drifted below the horizon, Rex stood up in The Maelstrom’s crow’s nest, binoculars in one hand and flask in the other. He scanned the surface of the cloud sea as The Maelstrom sailed on. Eventually, he spotted a black shape on the horizon. As Rex squinted his eyes through the binoculars, he could just about make out the shape of the black, Titan-less ship from Goldmouth harbor.

“Interesting…” He muttered, taking a sip from his flask. “Is it… following us…?” Rex zoomed in his binoculars to get a closer look.

“It’s way too cold up here.” Nia groaned as she climbed the stairs to the crow’s nest. Rex turned around just as she arrived at the top, shivering.

“You-” He began. Before he could get the rest of his sentence out, she cut him off.

“I’ll have you know I’ve got a name.” She said. “It’s Nia.”

“Good to know.” Rex said, turning back toward his watch. “Though I doubt I’ll need to remember.”

“You are such a…” She began speaking before transitioning into a sigh. “Listen, they’ve started boozin’ below decks. You should join ‘em.”

“Trust me, I wish I could.” Rex shook his head. “But I’ve got a job to do, so I nabbed this from the storeroom before I came up.” He held the flask up over his shoulder so Nia could see it. “How about you? Why aren’t you there?”

“I don’t touch the stuff.” Nia said, turning away from Rex.

“And you call me a kid.” Rex chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“Hey!” Nia turned back around, stomping her foot. “It’s not that I hate it. I just really don’t need headaches in my line of work.”

“Huh.” Rex said, still scanning the horizon. “Good thing you’re not a salvager then.”

“Why’s that?”

“Swim like-”

“You can at least look at someone when you’re talking to them.” Nia interrupted as Rex began speaking. He sighed and turned around, leaning back against the railing.

“Swim like a fish, and drink like one too.” He continued. “That’s the salvager’s code, for whatever its worth.”

“Sound’s terrible.” Nia scoffed. “I don’t think I’ll be changing careers.”

“Is there that much money in terrorism? I guess so, if you’re throwing around a hundred grand like pocket change. I’d kill for a job that’d let me do that.”

“You’re awfully calm about the whole terrorism angle.”

“I sell war for profit. We’ve both gotten our hands dirty.”

“I don’t kill people if I can help it.”

“Details.” Rex shrugged. “My point is, we’re much the same, just sitting at slightly different distances from the violence we cause. The real gap between us seems to be how much money we both make.”

“Is that why you became a salvager? For the cash?”

“Why else would I? If you’ve got cash, you can do pretty much whatever you want.”

“You really believe money can solve all your problems, kid?”

“My name’s Rex.” He replied, turning away from Nia and toward his post once again. “And I didn’t think the concept of wealth needed a detailed explanation. If you can’t understand that much, then you don’t deserve a single coin of the horde you’ve been throwing around.”

“There are more important things than money.”

“What, like some righteous cause?”

“You really want to know?”

“It’s not like I have anything better to do.” Rex replied. Nia walked up next to him and pointed to the World Tree.

“That there.” She said. “That’s why I’m here.”

“The World Tree? I don’t get it.”

“Well, I guess it isn’t the tree, exactly.” Nia said, staring out at the horizon. “Have you noticed how there are fewer and fewer Titans each day?”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Rex said, taking a swig from his flask. “I saw one go under this morning. It was a pretty big one, too.”

“And I’d image there were loads of animals still living on it.” Nia continued. “Living space is running out, day by day. Sooner or later, we’ll all be sinking into the Cloud Sea. But up there…” She looked up into the sky, toward the top of the World Tree. “Elysium is waiting for us.”

“Elysium?!” Rex exclaimed. He began laughing, doubling over for a moment before composing himself. “Seriously? You honestly believe that guff? That’s why you’re a Driver? I hate to break it to you, but Elysium is just a lie made up to comfort children. And that tree is just an overgrown shrub.”

“I thought a salvager would understand.” Nia frowned, turning to face Rex. “You’ve spent your whole career digging up the relics of people long gone. Doesn’t it make you worry that we’ll be gone one day too?”

“Humans may be gone, eventually.” Rex shrugged. “But I’m going to enjoy however much time is left on my own terms. There’s no use worrying about what you can’t change.”

“No use worrying about what you can’t change?!” Nia snarled, showing her fang-like teeth. “What kind of an attitude is that? Up there we’d have no need to fight over dwindling land and resources! No need to worry about our homes sinking away! Everyone could have peace and security! Even if its impossible, isn’t it at least worth trying for? Isn’t that a dream worth believing in?” Nia and Rex stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

“Listen…” Rex began speaking, turning away from her again. “As long as you’re bankrolling me, I couldn’t care less what you believe, but not everyone gets to have a fairytale ending like that. The world just doesn’t work that way.”

“That’s exactly my-”

“After all, if the world did work that way, my parents wouldn’t have had to die. The asshole who killed them wouldn’t have gotten away with it. Corinne and Gramps wouldn’t have struggled to raise me on their own.” He turned back to Nia, tears in the corner of his eyes. “Is a world like that really worth saving?”

Nia reached out and grabbed Rex’s shoulders, looking him straight in the eye.

“I know the world doesn’t work like how I want it to. But isn’t that exactly why it needs to change? If we could find Elysium, no one would have to suffer like you’ve had to. Or I’ve had to. Or…” She stopped, choking up as tears began running down her face. She stepped back and turned away from Rex, wiping her face with her sleeve. “It’s clear you’ve not had it easy, but you’re far from the only one. At least I’m trying to do something about it.”

“You really are something…” Rex sighed. “There’s even a word for it. Naive.”

“And there’s a word for what you are too.” She said. She turned and began walking back down the stairs. She nearly spat the last word over her shoulder as she left. “Coward.”

“At least I’ve got brains!” He shouted. After she disappeared below desk, he turned back to his post. “Who does she link she is, lecturing me like that?” He muttered to himself, taking another, long drink from his flask. Overhead, storm clouds began to form.

-

After Rex’s shift was over, he lay in his assigned bunk below decks and attempted to get some sleep. The storm The Maelstrom sailed into had only gotten worse in the intervening time, but Rex slept through the near-constant lightning and thunder like a baby, thanks to years of sleeping on Gramps’s back. Being such a heavy sleeper, however, meant that he nearly slept through Spraine’s announcement.

“-in position. All personnel, report to stations.” Spraine spoke over The Maelstrom’s PA system. As soon as he was awake enough to recognize Spraine’s voice, Rex shot out of bed, muscle memory taking over. In the scramble to don his suit, he missed the rest of the message, but he’d gotten the gist. As quickly as he could, Rex grabbed his helmet and sprinted through the door. The rest of the salvaging team, several humans and Nopon in full diving gear, was gathering around Spraine in The Maelstrom’s hold. Spraine began his briefing just as Rex joined them.

“Your target is located inside a shipwreck located four hundred and fifty peds straight down. Searching the wreck while submerged is too high risk for our tastes, so we’ll be using floatation devices and cranes to lift the hull first. Then you’ll split into teams and explore the interior. Once the target is found, and our clients confirm the retrieval, we’ll secure it in the hold. We’re allowed to haul up whatever else we can from the wreck, but only after the job’s done. If that’s clear, let’s begin with attaching the floats. Get into position!”

Rex and the rest of the diving team nodded in unison. Rex donned his helmet and secured his cylinder as the team began walking toward The Maelstrom’s salvaging crane.

“We’re paying you salvagers a lot, so don’t screw it up.” Nia shouted from the railing above the team, glaring at Rex as he walked by.

“You conceited bitch.” He muttered under his breath. As the team got in position, two other floating Titans, normally resting partially inside the hull of the ship on either side of The Maelstrom’s rear hatch, separated from the main ship and drifted into position above the wreck. Each Titan was equipped with a crane for hauling up wreckage. The diving team exited through the hatch and onto a walkway, at the end of which was The Maelstrom’s primary crane.

“And submerge!” Spraine commanded as the team gathered on the crane’s platform. Rex took one step forward and jumped headlong into the Cloud Sea. The rest of the salvage team and The Maelstrom’s cranes weren’t far behind.

Headlamps went on first, then they all began to swim down. It took some time, but eventually Rex spotted the wreckage amidst the darkness. It was a sprawling Titan battleship, much larger than anything Rex had salvaged before.

“Is that it?” Rex muttered to himself, stopping to look the battleship over. Its prow looked like the horn of whatever Titan was encased inside the hull, jutting up at an angle from the end of the deck. Toward the center was a large tower topped with a structure that resembled a scarab beetle. Rex swam in to get a closer look.

“It looks pretty ancient.” He continued to talk to himself as he swam closer to the rusted hull. “Is that the propulsion mechanism?” He turned his gaze to two large cylinders mounted on either side of the Titan’s rear, near its underbelly. “I’ve never seen one like that before. Which country made this?”

As Rex neared the wreck, so did the cranes. After some adjustment, they all clamped firmly around the hull and pulled taught. Then the salvaging team got to work.

-

Rex stood on the deck on the ancient ship, busy removing the outer layers of his diving suit, as Nia, Dromarch, Jin, Malos, and Sever walked down the gangplank between the wreck and The Maelstrom.

“Excellent work.” Nia remarked as she stepped onto the deck of the ship. “You’re not half bad.”

“That’s why you paid me, isn’t it?” He replied, packing his suit away. “Speaking of which, let’s get this over with so I can get my money.”

“All teams, proceed inside when ready.” Spraine announced, stepping off The Maelstrom behind Jin.

“Right then.” Malos said as the salvaging team began moving toward a large set of doors in the tower at the center of the deck. “Let’s get moving.” He and Sever began following the salvagers. Jin began to walk with him but stopped and turned to Rex.

“You.” He said. “With us.”

“Me?” Rex asked, pointing to himself. Jin nodded and resumed walking toward the tower.

“Hold on.” Nia said. “You’re going to drag his ass along? Seriously?”

“Guess he thinks you need all the help you can get!” Malos shouted back at her.

“Oi!” Nia flashed her fangs. Malos raised his head high and began laughing as Nia hissed at him. Nia stomped her foot in frustration, then noticed Rex was still next to her.

“Well?” She shouted at him. “Don’t just stand there! You’ve got your orders, haven’t you?” With a huff, she began following after Jin, Dromarch at her heel. Rex rolled his eyes and followed her.

Once they neared the doors, there came a loud clang from inside the tower. Suddenly, the ornate double doors in front of them buckled. The group stopped walking, and the Drivers reached for their weapons. Another clang sounded out, and the doors were blasted off their hinges. From the other side came charging a lysaat—a four eyed, six-legged crustacean resembling a very large mite. It rushed the team and reared up on its hind legs, crying out. Rex took a step back and drew his broadsword, gritting his teeth.

Before either Rex of the lysaat could make a move, Nia ran forward, unhooking the two ring-shaped weapons from her belt and slashing the lysaat across its face. As it reeled back, Nia tossed her rings into the air. Dromarch ran forward and leapt up above her, catching the rings in his mouth. As he descended, he twisted around and slashed the lysaat down its back from head to tail. It cried out and collapsed to the ground, dead.

“Amazing.” One of the human salvagers who had been watching nearby commented as Dromarch tossed the rings back to Nia. “So that’s how Drivers and Blades fight.”

“Ruthless.” Another salvager nodded in agreement. “It’s like they’re monsters themselves.” Nia turned and glared at the salvagers as they began filing through the doors into the ship.

“We may not see eye to eye, but man am I glad you’re on our side.” Rex said, sheathing his sword. “You too Dromarch.” He nodded to the tiger, who nodded back politely.

“No need to get hysterical.” Nia rolled her eyes. “It was a walk in the park.”

“That’s enough yapping, you pair of brats!” Malos shouted at them ad he and Jin walked through the doors. “Let’s move.”

“Talk about self-important.” Rex scoffed as he began walking. Nia rolled her eyes, and the two of them followed Malos and Jin inside. From the other side of the ancient ship’s deck, Pupunin watched the teams as they disappeared into the ship.

-

Back in Argentum, Bana sat in his office, staring at a round screen in front of him. Everything Pupunin could see was being broadcast back to Bana via a camera in Pupunin’s helmet.

“They make short work of monster.” Bana mused, preening his mustache. “These no ordinary fighters. Big job in Mor Ardain going well too!” Bana smiled to himself. “There much money to be made from these people!” He broke out into a fit of laughter as he stared at the screen in front of him.

-

The interior of the ship was sprawling. Each team spread out in a different direction, but between the constant encounters with hostile sea life and the maze of tight corridors, all of them either found themselves lost or overwhelmed. All of them except Rex’s team. Jin walked through the halls of the ship without hesitation, never slowing down and ending any wildlife that attacked the team with a single slash of his sword. It didn’t take long for them to reach their destination.

“Jin, check this out.” Malos said as the group turned down a hallway much wider than the rest. At the other end, it narrowed into a floor-to-ceiling arched doorway, with an ornate crest resembling a flame carved into the center. The door was firmly shut.

“We’ve found it.” Jin nodded, stopping about halfway to the door. “Addam’s crest.” He narrowed his gaze at the circular crest jutting out from the center of the door.

“Addam’s crest?” Rex asked. “This ship can’t be _that_ old, can it?” He turned back to his clients for confirmation, but they didn’t reply. Nia just shrugged. “Is this what we came here for?”

“Yes.” Jin said. “Now open the door.”

“Me?” Rex responded.

“This door will only open to one of you people.”

“One of me? What’re you talking about?”

“Hurry up and do it!” Malos growled. “We’re not paying you to ask dumb questions!”

“What the hell?” Rex threw his hands up. “You can’t treat hired hands like that!” Rex took a step forward. Malos grabbed the hilt of his sword. Rex instantly retracted his foot and put his hands up.

“Alright, alright.” He turned toward the door. “You’ve made your point. I’ll open the damn door.” Rex walked up to it and squatted down, looking for a release mechanism. After a moment, he stood back up and stared at the crest. “This must be it.”

He reached out and touched the crest. It pulsed, the carving glowing blue for a moment. The door split into four parts and retracted itself into the surrounding walls. The entire team stood still for a moment. After no one moved, Rex shrugged his shoulders and took a step through the doorway.

Suddenly, the ghostly image of a man appeared in front of Rex. He screamed, stumbling back for a moment. Nia chuckled, but Malos and Jin frowned. The figure was green and constantly flickering. It was never still long enough to make out any distinguishing features.

“Here me-” A voice began to echo in the corridor, cutting in and out sporadically. “My na--day I seal the--the world. But-seal is not for eter---comes worthy of the Aeg-I entrust her to-”

“Jin!” Rex shouted back as the image continued to flicker. “There’s a ghost man!”

“It’s an old recording.” He replied. “Ignore it.”

As the figure continued to speak, a faint green energy coalesced around Rex’s boots for several moments.

“Just as I thought.” Malos crossed his arms and smirked. Nia began moving forward, but Jin put out his hand. He pointed to the far side of the corridor Rex had just unlocked, where a similar crest rested in another locked door.

“Open that door too.” He said. Rex nodded and complied, walking around the recording and placing his palm against the crest. It too pulsed with a faint, blue glow, and the doors slid out of the way in response. The green light began to fade.

“Let’s move.” Jin said, walking forward into the corridor. Ahead of him, Rex strode forward into a circular chamber. In the center of the room was a pool of glowing blue liquid, and in the center of the pool was a pillar, reaching from the floor to the ceiling. In front of the pillar, a bright red and gold sword with a green, cross-shaped crystal in its center stood imbedded in the ground. In the center of the pillar was a glass container. On the other side of the glass rested a girl with short, crimson hair, and an outfit to match. Her hands rested over the center of her chest. She was smiling.

“It’s a… girl…” Rex muttered, staring at her. He walked up to her. Suddenly, as he drew close, the crystal in the sword began glowing. It pulsed with what seemed like a heartbeat, and enraptured Rex. He didn’t notice the rest of the Drivers enter the room behind him.

“Look.” Malos whispered to Jin, nodding at the girl in the pillar.

“Yes.” Jin replied. “No mistaking it. That’s the Aegis.”

“You’re sure it’s her?” Nia asked, looking up at Jin. As the three of them watched, Rex took another step toward the sword. Before he could think about what he was doing, he reached out a hand toward the crystal at its center.

“Hey, brat!” Malos shouted, noticing what Rex was doing. “Don’t even think about touching that!” Malos’s words shook Rex out of his stupor but a moment too late. His hand contacted the crystal just as he regained his senses. The crystal sent a shower of green particles up into the air as he pulled his hand away. Instantly, Jin grabbed the handle of his sword and rushed forward, his body glowing and bending the light around it. In a fraction of a second, he stood next to Rex, his blade straight through the young man’s heart. Before Rex had time to register the pain, his consciousness began fading away.

“What… The… Hell?” Rex sputtered, staring down at the sword sticking out of his chest. His hands began to shake, and his vision became blurry.

“Don’t take it personally.” Jin responded. “It’s an act of mercy. At least you won’t be alive to see what’s coming.” He turned away from Rex, slashing his sword through the air to wipe off the blood. As he pulled his sword from Rex’s chest, the boy collapsed to the ground, dead. Jin turned back around and slashed his sword through the one in front of him, shattering it into a myriad of small chunks that rained down around Rex’s dead body.

“Serves him right.” Malos smirked.

“Jin!” Nia shouted, running forward and placing herself in front of him. “What the bloody hell?!” She screamed at Jin as he brushed past her. “We had an agreement, Jin! Jin, will you look at me for once?! What’s gotten into you?!”

He left the room without responding.

“Let’s ship out the Aegis.” Malos said, walking toward the girl and Rex’s dead body. “Nia, call The Monoceros!” He barked at Nia as he passed her. She didn’t respond. She just stared, dumbfounded, at the back of Jin as he walked away. Her hands tightened into fists as he faded from view.

-

Rex lay sleeping face down in a grass field. In the distance, a bell tolled, waking him from his slumber. Slowly, he opened his eyes and stood to his feet, the bell continuing to sound. As he looked around, he realized he stood on the slope of a hill. Birds chirped happily in the forest behind him. In front of him, at the top of the hill, the girl from behind the glass stood in the shade of a solitary tree.

“Hey!” Rex called out to the girl as he began walking toward her. “You! Under the tree!” The girl was silent as he approached her. He stopped just a few steps from the top of the hill. “You know, it’s not polite to brush people off like that.”

“It’s such a mournful sound.” The girl replied, staring out at whatever lay beyond the hill’s crest. “It hasn’t stopped. Not… Not in all these years.”

“It hasn’t stopped?” Rex asked. “You mean that bell sound? Is Indol somewhere nearby? Where are we, anyway?” He looked around as he walked up the hill. All he could see was a forest, stretching on toward the horizon.

“This is… Elysium.” The girl sighed. “The land where, long ago, mankind lived in harmony with their creator. It’s where… “We” were born.”

“Back up.” Rex said, shaking his head as he crested the hill. “Elysium’s a myth. Either you’re an idiot, or you think I am, because there’s no way…” His voice trailed off as he looked out at what lay on the other side of the hill. At the foot of the hill was a lake larger than any he had ever seen, larger even than most Titan ships he’d salvaged from. On the opposite shore of the lake was another hill, and on that was a town. It stretched from one end of the lake to the other, and all the way up to the top of the next hill. It was a town large enough to house many thousands of people.

“This isn’t real…” He muttered. “There’s no way a place this… open exists anywhere in Alrest. I must be dreaming.” He turned and looked at the girl next to him. She wore a golden hairband with a green crystal in the center. She also had matching green earrings. Her outfit was the same color as her hair and eyes, crimson red, and in the middle of her chest glowed the same green crystal from the sword on the ancient ship.

“Is that a core crystal?” He asked, pointing to the glowing crystal in her chest. “You’re a Blade?”

“My name is Pyra.” The girl replied, smiling at Rex.

“What?” He stammered. “Oh, right. I guess it’s only fair that I-”

“And you’re Rex, right?” Pyra continued.

“How did you know my name?” He took a step back.

“Just now, when we came into contact…” Pyra started speaking before trailing off.

“Just now? I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ve ever met before, except…” Rex thought back to where he had first seen Pyra. The ancient ship. The sword through his chest. Suddenly he tensed up, wheezing and grasping at his heart. After a moment, he threw up and collapsed to his knees.

“You were killed.” Pyra sighed. “Stabbed through the heart by Jin.”

“Now I remember!” Rex grunted as he put himself back in order. “That bastard stabbed me!” He staggered to his feet and turned around, limping back toward the forest he woke up next to. “This is bad! I need to get back to the ship! Spraine and the rest of the team are in danger!” He only managed to get a few feet before collapsing again. “But if I’m really dead, then there’s nothing I can do.” Tears began to well up in the corner of his eyes. “I never even got to say goodbye to Gramps…”

“Rex…” Pyra said, walking over to where he had fallen. “I have a request. I want you to take me to Elysium.”

“Piss off.” He said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “According to you, we’re there already, aren’t we?”

“No.” Pyra shook her head. She stopped walking, halfway between Rex and the tree. “This world is merely a memory. An ancient, half-forgotten memory of what once was. The real Elysium lies in your world, atop the World Tree that rises from the heart of Alrest.”

“Spare me the bedtime story.” Rex stood up. “Elysium is a myth. And even if it were real, I doubt The Architect would just let us in so easily. Or did you forget the part of the story where he cast humanity out?”

“Elysium is real.” Pyra replied. “I don’t care whether you believe me or not, but you’re going to take me there.”

“Did you forget the situation at hand?” Rex motioned around him. “I’m dead, remember? How am I supposed to take you anywhere if I’m not breathing?”

“I will give you half of my life force.” Pyra touched the crystal in the center of her chest. “That way, you can be revived. As my Driver. As the Driver of the Aegis.”

“Me, a Driver?” Rex muttered.

“And in return,” Pyra continued, “You will take me to Elysium.” Rex and Pyra stood, staring at each other for a moment. “What will you do, Rex?”

“I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Rex asked.

“No.” Pyra looked down, away from him. “And, as much as I hate it, neither do I.”

“Well, I don’t know if Elysium exists or not.” Rex said, walking up to Pyra. “But if you really can save my life, then I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

“Thank you, Rex.” Pyra smiled. She took her hand away from the crystal. “Now place your hand on my chest.”

“Wha-what?” Rex stammered, taking a step back. He began blushing, despite himself.

“Don’t get any ideas.” Pyra frowned. “Just touch the crystal.”

“Oh, right.” Rex sighed. He reached out his hands toward the core crystal. It pulsed the same way the crystal in the sword did when he was on the ship. Once he placed the tips of his fingers against it, Pyra screwed her eyes shut, bracing for something. Then the crystal began glowing brighter, expelling rivulets of green ether outward from Pyra’s chest and into Rex’s. After a moment, a wave of ether cascaded outward from Pyra’s body, wrapping both her and Rex in green flames.

-

Back in the ancient ship’s antechamber, the ether particles in the air began wreathing Rex’s body in a sea of green energy, lifting it off the ground. In his chest, the center of Pyra’s core crystal formed over the wound Jin had left. In his hand, the core of the destroyed sword appeared. After a moment, it pulsed with energy, and the rest of the sword reformed itself in his hand. As he regained consciousness, Rex swung the sword, spurting fire from the ports on the back of the blade and cloaking it in a coat of flames. He opened his eyes once more and cast them toward the ceiling.

-

Nia and Malos, along with their blades, walked out of the ship’s interior and back onto its deck. Malos carried Pyra’s body, still in its glass prison, over his shoulder. Nia trailed behind him, hands gripping her twin rings.

“Nia.” Malos said. “Kill them.” He nodded toward the members of the salvage team scurrying about the deck, packing their gear back onto The Maelstrom and stripping anything of value from the hull.

“No.” Nia stopped walking.

“No?”

“I can’t stand to see any more blood spilled for this crusade, especially from people who don’t deserve it. If you want to keep going down this path, you’ll do it without me.”

“Now now.” Malos stopped and turned around, shaking his head. “Have you forgotten your debt to us, Nia? What happened to going to Elysium?”

“That’s not worth the lives of innocent people. I won’t kill for you. Not anymore.”

“Oh, for the love of…” Malos pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “Don’t make this difficult. Do as you’re told, and I’ll keep this little outburst of yours between us. We wouldn’t want the others thinking you’ve gone soft.”

“They can think whatever they want.” Nia growled. “This isn’t what I signed up for.”

“Fine then.” Malos spat. “I’ll handle it myself. Jin can deal with you later.” Just as he reached for the handle of his sword, Pyra’s coffin caught fire.

“What the hell?!” Malos shouted, tossing the coffin aside. The strength of the flames continued to increase until a column of fire shot into the sky from the container. A ball of flame flew out of the top of the column, striking against the scarab-shaped crest atop the ancient ship’s tower. The flames dispersed almost immediately, revealing Pyra standing atop the tower, the center of her core crystal missing.

Before Malos could make a move, the deck between him and the tower began glowing red hot. After a moment, it buckled upward and began melting. A second column of flame burst forth from underneath the deck. Riding it was Rex, screaming at the top of his lungs and wielding the red sword, sheathed in flames. He landed on the deck, a little short of breth but steady on his feet.

“You!” Malos screamed, losing his composure. “And that sword! It can’t be!”

“It’s pretty low to stab a man in the back, Jin.” Rex pointed his sword at Jin, who stood behind Malos, his gaze fixed on Rex’s sword. “You bloody psychopath!”

“Jin.” Pyra frowned. She looked between him and Malos. “I have to say, I’m disappointed.”

“That’s rich, coming from you!” Malos roared.

“Pyra!” Rex shouted, glancing over his shoulder. “Cover me!” He sprinted forward before she could reply.

“Got it!” She nodded, jumping from the tower. Jin reached for his sword, but Malos put his hand out.

“Jin.” He said, gripping the handle of his own weapon. “Leave them to me.” He strode forward, meeting Rex’s screaming charge. Rex reared back his sword and swung hard at Malos’s face. At the last second, Malos drew his sword and blocked Rex’s attack. Rex gritted his teeth as he pushed against Malos’s defense.

“Sorry, kid.” Malos smiled in reply. He swung his sword against Rex’s, forcing the latter flying into the air. “I can’t have the likes of you just claim her power for yourself. This is as far as you go”

As Malos talked, Rex somersaulted in midair and landed on his feet. Malos rushed him, and the two clashed sowrds again. Pyra ran toward them, but before she could reach them, Sever intercepted her, swiping at her with his claws. She backflipped out of the way.

“Get back here!” The lizard Blade shouted, lunging toward her again. Rex continued to swing at Malos, most of his attacks going wide. His opponent only bothered to block one of the strikes, but Rex was swinging rapidly enough Malos couldn’t find a good opportunity to counterattack yet. Nevertheless, he was grinning from ear to ear.

“Give it a rest Malos!” Nia shouted. She ran up behind Malos and grabbed his shoulder just as he jumped out of Rex’s range. “He’s just a child!”

“A child?” Malos replied, shrugging her off. “Don’t make me laugh!” He swung up at Rex and forced him into the air. “This kid made himself the Aegis’s Driver!” He ran forward as Rex landed, making a swing for his head.

“The Aegis’s Driver?” Nia muttered. “There’s no way Rex could have…”

The two continued their fight as she looked on. Rex blocked Malos’s strike, sliding his blade along Malos’s and stumbling past him. Before Rex could turn around and face his opponent, Malos kicked him into the air, sending him flying toward the ship’s prow. With a smirk he tossed his sword into the air. Sever leapt up to catch it and held it in midair as if it was sheathed at his side.

“You’re done!” Sever shouted. He swung the sword from his hip and sent out an X-shaped wave of green ether toward Rex. Rex attempted to stand on his feet but couldn’t find purchase in time. Just before the attack arrived, Pyra placed herself in front of Rex and absorbed the attack with a green, hexagonally-plated dome of ether.

“Thanks, Pyra.” Rex grunted, standing on his feet.

“You’re welcome.” Pyra replied over her shoulder. “Now, don’t let up.” Pyra dropped her shield as Sever landed next to Malos. The four of them charged at each other, Sever sending out more waves of ether. Pyra blocked them with her shield once again, and once the waves passed Rex ran out from behind Pyra and took a swing at Malos, forcing both him and Sever back.

“Sprain!” He shouted as he continued to swing, trying not to give Malos an opportunity to get his sword back. “Get everyone out of here!” Immediately Spraine began directing the team back onto The Maelstrom. As Rex swung again, Malos backflipped out of the way of the strike, putting some distance between them.

“Malos!” Sever shouted, tossing the sword up into the air. “Catch!” Malos caught the sword and spun around, landing on top of the door to the tower. The blade of the sword straightened and began swirling with green ether. He pointed it at the gangplank between The Maelstrom and the ancient ship that Spraine and the rest of the salvage team were running up.

“Hey, asshole!” Rex shouted. “Your fight’s with me!” He swung his sword in Malos’s direction, sending forth a cascading wave of flaming ether from the end. Malos screamed in frustration and turned to block the attack. As he did, Pyra grabbed Rex’s arm and jumped into the air, shrouding the two of them in a coat of energy. Pyra gripped the sword’s handle and raised it into the air. Rex’s body copied her movements without him even thinking.

The blade of the sword burned with the same intensity it had when Rex melted the deck. A continuous stream of fire spewed forth from the end. Pyra swung, and Rex followed her lead. They brought the column of fire down on top of Malos’s head. A great explosion almost the size of the control tower rocked the ancient ship. Nia, Dromarch, Spraine, and the other salvagers all watched on as fire engulfed the four combatants atop the tower. After the explosion faded away, Malos was still standing, holding his blade firmly against the theirs. Rex and Pyra hung above him, suspended in midair by Pyra’s ether.

“You brat.” Malos spat as energy from the two blades collided in the space between him and Rex. “How can a nobody like you…?” Malos paused for a moment.

“…Ah, but with those eyes…” He muttered to himself. “I guess I should have been more wary from the start. You’re as unpredictable as him.”

“What do you mean?!” Rex grunted, his arm tensing up against the pressure Malos put on the sword.

“Like I’d tell you.” Malos scoffed. A ball of purple ether formed in his hand, and he reached for Rex’s face. Pyra pulled him away at the last second, Malos’s fingertips brushing past Rex’s nose. The ether fields around them all gone, Rex, Pyra, Malos, and Sever all dropped back to the ground. Behind them, The Maelstrom began pulling away from the wreck.

“You’re good, kid.” Malos said as Rex charged him again. “It’s no simple feat to control an Aegis sword like that.”

Rex jumped up into the air and swung his sword down on top of Malos again. As Rex descended, the purple ether returned to Malos’s hand. He smirked. He reached up and grabbed Rex’s sword, the ether in his hand and along the blade clashing. He stepped forward and punched Rex in the gut. Winded, Rex couldn’t fight back. Malos grabbed him by the collar and swung him around, throwing him into the air. The sword flew from his hand as he tumbled across the deck.

“Rex!” Pyra shouted, once again boxed in by attacks from Sever and his claws.

“Don’t get cocky, you little shit!” Malos ran toward the dazed Rex.

“Dromarch!” Nia shouted, swinging up onto her Blade’s back.

“Understood!” The tiger roared, leaping forward with his Driver firmly secured. He shot a blast of ether from his mouth as he bounded toward Malos. Sever barely made it in time to block the attack.

“What?!” Malos yelled as Dromarch jumped over the pair. He landed in between them and Rex, who had just begun to regain his bearings. “Get out of the way, Nia! Have you gone mad?!” 

“You’re the one who’s off your nut!” Nia shouted back from atop Dromarch. “Wailing on a child!”

“Nia, I don’t think you quite comprehend your position.”

“And what would that be, exactly?”

“You’re starting to piss me off!” Malos screamed, pointing his sword at her. Before he could attack Nia, however, Pyra grabbed the sword from the ground nearby and jumped into the air, swinging it at Malos. He raised his sword to block, and she swung herself around above him as the swords clashed. She landed behind him and they both turned around, charging each other. Malos began swinging blindly at her, and she managed to dodge or block every one of his attacks as the two of them twirled around the deck of the ship. She jumped back and up into the air, sending several waves of ether at Malos. He blocked them, but Pyra charged him through the wall of fire they created. He barely managed to block her attack as it swung through the flames.

“You’re pretty sharp for someone who’s only just woken up.” Malos commented. “I would say you haven’t changed at all, but then I’d be lying. What’s the deal with that appearance?”

Pyra didn’t respond.

“I’m guessing your goal is Elysium.”

“That is our dream!” She shouted back.

“Don’t make me laugh! When Jin and I are done, there’ll be no Elysium left to go back to!” Malos swung his sword, forcing Pyra to the side. He gathered more purple ether into his hand and reached for her. She flipped out of the way, landing on her feet by the edge of the deck. Rex staggered to his feet, clutching his stomach where Malos punched him. As he surveyed the battlefield, The Monoceros—the black ship from Goldmouth harbor—pulled up alongside the wreck, right behind Pyra. Two missile batteries extended from its deck and took aim at her.

“Pyra, move!” Rex shouted. She turned around just in time to put her shield up as the missiles fired. Half a dozen collided with her ether barrier, reducing the ground around her to scrap and throwing her backward. Rex ran to her as she skidded across the deck.

“Can you stand?” He asked, crouching down next to her.

“I think so.” She winced, sitting up.

“Good.” Rex replied, grabbing her free hand. “Now on your feet. We need to move.” As Rex pulled Pyra up, two more missile batteries emerged from The Monoceros. All four focused on them.

“Stop this!” Nia shouted. Dromarch jumped in front of the path of the missiles and roared, creating a wall of ether energy in front of them. A moment later, the batteries let loose a volley of several dozen missiles. One after another, they collided with the barrier, the force pushing Dromarch back. As the last missile impacted, the barrier gave way, throwing Nia off Dromarch’s back.

“Nia!” Rex shouted, letting go pf Pyra’s hand and running over to where she flew. He vaulted over the side of the deck and slid down the hull of the ship as Nia sailed over head. Just as she passed him, falling toward the Cloud Sea, he jumped off the side of the hull. He managed to grab her limp arm and twist himself around in midair. He fired his suit’s anchor into the side of the hull, stopping their momentum and nearly tearing his own arm off. The two of them hung from the side of the wreck by a thin wire.

“You’re a tough one, kid.” Malos chuckled, grinning down at Rex from atop the deck with his arms crossed. “But there’s only one way this can end!” The missile batteries changed targets from Pyra to Rex and prepared to fire another volley.

“Shit!” Rex shouted, gritting his teeth as he prepared to release his grappling hook. Just before the missiles fired, a bolt of lightning struck The Monoceros’s deck, setting off several explosions.

“What’s that!” Malos yelled, uncrossing his arms. From out of the sky, a winged Titan flew the gap between the ancient ship and The Monoceros. As it passed by Rex, he recognized instantly who it was.

“Gramps!” Rex shouted as the Titan flew up into the air again, stretching out his leathery wings and turning around to make another pass at The Monoceros. As Gramps flew, he studied the deck of the ancient ship.

“Jin.” He muttered to himself, eyes locking with the man in gray’s. “Still you persist. And is that…” He looked over to where Malos stood next to Sever. “Malos?!”

“Azurda…” Jin said, gripping the handle of his sword as Gramps flew overhead. Gramps turned around again and opened his mouth, gathering fire ether in between his jaws. After a moment, he shot out several volleys of flame, blanketing Jin and Malos. Jin stepped forward and sliced the mass of ether in half with his sword, scattering the flames harmlessly around him.

“Rex!” Gramps shouted, flying over the ship and back toward where Rex and Nia hung. “Get on!” As he flew, Pyra mounted Dromarch’s back and he leapt over the deck’s railing as well, running along the side of the wreck’s hull next to Gramps.

“Rex!” Pyra shouted, reaching out her hand toward him. He released his anchor and pushed off the side of the hull, grabbing her hand. He swung Nia up toward Dromarch with the last of his strength. Right before she fell back down, Dromarch caught her unconscious body between his jaws and continued running along the hull. He leapt into the air and Gramps swooped underneath him, catching the four of them as they sailed through the air.

“We’re going!” Gramps shouted, flying up into the air. “Hold on tight!”

“Stop them!” Malos screamed, motioning furiously at Gramps. “Open fire, Mikhail!” The two remaining functioning missile batteries swiveled and began unloading everything left in their ammunition stores at Gramps. He twirled through the air, attempting to avoid as many as he could and catch the rest on his underside to protect his charges.

“Turn her around!” He continued to scream, becoming increasingly hysterical. “Ready the cannon!”

“It’s no use.” Jin said, walking up next to Malos. “They’re out of range.”

“Dammit!” He balled his hand into a fist and punched his open palm. “That old geezer!” He and Jin continued to watch as Gramps flew further from them.

“Turn around.” Jin said after a moment. He turned and began walking toward The Monoceros.

“We’re not chasing them?” Malos asked, looking over his shoulder at Jin.

“The Aegis is awakened. That’s enough for now. I’ll have Akhos hunt them down.”

“That’ll have to do…” Malos grunted, turning back to watch Gramps fade into the raging storm above.


	2. Chapter 2 - Aptitude

“…And so Pupunin wisely ran away for dear life.” Pupunin said. He sat huddled in the hold of The Maelstrom as it sailed back to Argentum, opposite his helmet-mounted camera. As Pupunin spoke, Bana’s voice crackled over a grainy built-in audio system.

“Wise?” Chairman Bana shrieked from his office in Argentum, slamming his wings on the table in front of him as he chewed out the fuzzy image of Pupunin on his personal display. “Who wise, exactly? You useless idiot!” Bana recomposed himself and leaned back in his chair. “Why can Pupunin not even die properly? What if they ask Bana to repay money?”

“Die?” Pupunin asked, his eyes darting around the room quickly. “Repay who?”

“Meh!” Bana grunted. “None of your business. Anyway, tell me where Rex and Blade went.”

“Rex, Titan, and friends ran away!” Pupunin stammered. “Went to south of Cyclus Sea—after that, Bana know as much as Pupunin! Storm was very thick, so Pupunin-”

“Pupunin lose them, yes?” Bana asked, interrupting Pupunin.

“Yes, but-”

“And then run away like coward?”

“Y-yes, but-”

“Meh-meh-meh-meh-meh!” Bana stood up from his cushion and smacked the screen. On the other side, Pupunin flinched. “Bana not wanting feeble excuses of Pupunin! Just get back here! You got lot of work to do!” Bana terminated the call as Pupunin frantically gathered his belongings.

“Meh-meh-meh…” Bana sighed, collapsing back into his Nopon-style cushion chair. “Even pricey insurance Bana take out on Maelstrom go to waste… Still, how interesting.” He turned to face the map of the Cloud Sea mounted on his office wall. “Heading southward from Cyclus Sea… In current season, that likely take them to Gormott. Best person for job would be annoying mustache man.”

“Consul Dughall?” One of his assistants asked.

“Precisely.” Bana snapped. “Contact him immediately.”

“Yes sir.” She nodded. She walked forward and pressed a series of buttons on Bana’s console. It flickered to life once again, emitting a soft, blue hue. After a moment the assistant stepped back and Consul Dughall’s face appeared on the screen.

He was a pudgy Ardainian man with a large nose and a thin, pink mustache. He wore a cream-colored waistcoat with a variety of embellishments and a frilly undershirt that all but spilled out the top of his collar. On his head was a brown baggy hat that would have more resembled a mushroom cap than clothing were it not for his official crest penned to the front.

“Why, if it isn’t Chairman Bana.” Dughall gave a slight bow. “What an unexpected pleasure. May I just say that I admire how you rebranded those broken Core-”

“Bana did not call to hear pointless flattery!” Bana flapped his wings wildly. “Or discuss alleged business ventures! Is Dughall some kind of idiot?”

“O-oh, of course!” Dughall stuttered, backing away from his own screen. “I’m very sorry!”

“Meh, forget it.” Bana waived dismissively, betraying a wry smirk as Dughall leaned back into his monitor. “We’ve got bigger fishies to fry…”

-

Rex groaned and opened his eyes. He sat on the ground in the middle of a grassy clearing, his back propped up against the trunk of a massive tree. His head was rolled on its side and he stared up at the canopy of tangled vines and insects glowing with ether energy. As he straightened himself up, he saw Pyra sitting across the clearing from him, her hands folded in her lap and her sword hanging from her back. She studied him with a cold expression.

“…Who…?” Rex muttered, blinking a few times as he stared at the Blade across from him. “Pyra?”

“So you do remember.” Pyra sighed. She stood up, walked over to Rex, and offered him a hand. “Can you stand?”

“Just give me a moment.” He said. He pushed her hand aside. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know.” She replied. She crossed her arms and took a step back. “We seemed to have washed up on a Titan of some kind.”

“A Titan?” He paused, recalling all that had happened before he’d fallen unconscious on Gramps’s back. Instantly he shot up, pushing Pyra to the side and stumbling forward. He looked frantically around the clearing before turning back to her.

“Where’s Gramps?” He shouted, his eyes wide. She simply shook her head in response. “Shit!” He looked around for a moment until his eyes caught on his diving helmet lying in the grass nearby. Just beyond it, he noticed that something had torn through the canopy above with great force, leaving the vines in tatters. The destruction continued mostly in the same direction as a footpath that left the clearing and went up the Titan through the forest underbrush.

“Come on!” Rex yelled. “He can’t be far!” Without waiting for a reply, Rex took off down the path, grabbing his helmet off the ground as he went. After a moment’s hesitation, Pyra followed him. The two of them ran through the forest following the path of destruction as it snaked its way through the canopy above. As the ground began to incline, the destruction lowered, torn vines giving way to scarred tree bark and fallen branches until eventually Rex and Pyra reached where the footpath and the trail of destruction met.

On the path in front of them lay Gramps. He had hit the ground and skidded to a halt some time ago, turning perpendicular to the path in the process. His wings, which Rex had rarely seen before the previous night, were bent at unnatural angles and punctured in several places. Over a dozen great spiraled lances had pierced his hide. From the spines of his wings to his stomach to his neck, he lay pincushioned with artillery. His head rested against a knoll of grass at the foot of a great tree. The normally vibrantly glowing ether veins that swirled along his stomach and limbs were now faded and flickering.

“Gramps!” Rex shouted, running up beside his head. His words roused the old Titan to life. As he saw Rex approach, he craned his neck as best he could with two spears pinning it to the ground. He managed to pull his facial plating into a full grin.

“It is good to see you uninjured, Rex.” Gramps said. With a sigh, he let his head fall back to where it had been resting.

“How awful…” Pyra muttered as she stared at Gramps’s body.

“Hold on!” Rex continued to shout as he skidded to a halt next to Gramps’s head. He slung a pack off his belt and began rummaging around. “I should have some herbs!”

“You are kind,” Gramps said, watching Rex scramble around in front of him, “But no amount of human medicine would suffice.”

“But…” Rex stammered, looking up at Gramps with tears in his eyes.

“Weep not, my body. This is my fate.”

“Like hell. I’m not letting you die here.” Rex’s hand went back into his pack, shaking. When he didn’t find anything to help, he looked around, frantic.

“You have-” Gramps coughed, spraying ether from a wound on his chest. “You have more important things to worry about now. You carry the burden of the Aegis, Rex.”

“What am I supposed to do?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Be strong. Help her, like I tried to help you. I wish I could have seen you through this task, but-” He coughed again. “It looks like my time is up. I’m… Sorry. I couldn’t be there when you needed me.”

“Don’t say that.” Rex shook his head. “You saved me.”

“I hope you’re right…” Gramps sighed. “Despite everything, it was a good life. Thank you for everything, Rex. The days with you were the best I ever had. I love you.” As he finished his words, his body began glowing. Ether energy churned, just beneath the surface of his skin, glowing brighter by the second. When the glow of the ether reached a soft white, particles of it began breaking through his skin, slowly dissolving both him and the lances still stuck in him into a cloud of ether.

“Gramps.” Rex whispered, reaching out his hand as the Titan’s body burst with a brilliant blue flash of light. The next moment, all that remained was a trace cloud of ether. Rex tried to gather some in his hands, but it only slipped past him as he flailed about. “Gramps!” He shouted, unable to hold back the tears any longer. He collapsed to his knees and began sobbing.

Pyra closed her eyes and walked forward, raising her hand toward the ether. Her core pulsed with green light, and soon Gramps’ leftover ether cloud began to pulse in time with it. Pyra’s face screwed up with concentration, and the ether cloud condensed. After a moment, a small gray furry creature stood in Gramps’s place. It had small, pink wings and ears, a single horn jutting out from its forehead, a blue, diamond-shaped crystal on its chest and a very confused expression in its face.

“Welcome back, Azurda.” Pyra smiled. Gramps looked over his new body with a mixture of shock and curiosity. Rex simply stared at him.

“Gramps…” He muttered.

“It appears that way.” Gramps said with a chuckle. Rex lunged forward and wrapped him in a hug.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He choked out his words between sobs. After a minute, Rex released Gramps and stood up, wiping away his tears as he did so.

“So am I. Though… I’m not entirely sure what just transpired.”

“I condensed his ether before it dispersed.” Pyra said, still wearing her smile. “I managed to retain your vital bodily functions and regenerate your cells, but this was all I could salvage.”

“It seems that I’ve reverted to a larval stage.” Gramps remarked, attempting to flap his wings. After a moment, he lifted himself of the ground and began hovering in midair, more or less at eye level with Rex.

“That’s something you can just… Do?” Rex asked, eyeing Pyra.

“Well…” She shrugged. “I don’t make a habit of it but manipulating ether energy is a specialty of mine. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try.”

“Huh…” Rex nodded for a moment before turning back to Gramps. “So when will you be back to your old self?”

“Good question.” Gramps furrowed his considerably smaller brow. “It’s hard to say for sure, but no more than three hundred years.”

“Th-three hundred years?” Rex exclaimed, taking a step back. “But I’ll be long dead by then!”

“I suppose that’s true.” Gramps nodded.

“But… What about my house?!” Rex asked. “Do I have to live on the streets?!”

“Think of it as an opportunity to fly the nest.”

“You mean pay rent?” Rex crossed him arms and frowned.

“A moment ago you were blubbering like a baby, just happy to see me alive, and now you’re complaining about your finances?”

“It’s a massive extra expense!” Rex threw his hands up. “Where do you expect me to get all that money from? Bana’s payment’s only gonna-”

“I don’t mean to interrupt.” Pyra said, cutting off their conversation. “But I’m sensing a ripple in the local ether flow. It feels like a Driver and Blade are engaged in battle nearby.”

“I bet that’s Nia and Dromarch.” Rex nodded.

“You mean the Gormotti Driver and her Blade that saved you two back on the ship?” Gramps asked. “I suppose we should go lend them a hand.”

“Right. I’d hate to owe a favor to them of all people.” Rex bent down and scooped Gramps up off the ground, placing him in his diving helmet. “Pyra, lead the way.” The two of them took off down the path.

“Now this makes a nice change.” Gramps commented as they ran. “By the way, Rex. Don’t think I didn’t notice that Core Crystal glowing on your chest. Just what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story.” Rex replied as he and Pyra ran through the underbrush. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

-

Nia stood in a pool of water, short of breath and surrounded by a dozen feris corpses. Short of breath, she looked up to see a green and yellow-patterned brog—a large frog-like monster with a set of stiff slats of bone and cartilage extending from either side of its neck all the way to the ground. An opportunistic hunter.

“My lady.” Dromarch said, taking a step forward. “Leave this to me. You needn’t trouble yourself.”

“Not a chance.” Nia replied. “We fight together, remember?” She dropped her stance, anticipating the brog leaping at her. Before either of them could make a move, however, a jet of flame struck the brog from the side, knocking it off balance.

“Nia!” Rex shouted, Pyra’s sword in hand as he charged up the path toward the pair. He skidded to a halt next to Dromarch and leveled his blade at the brog. “Need some help?”

“I had this under control.” Nia replied. “Still, I won’t turn down the offer.”

“So now you want me help?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Perhaps we should focus on the enemy.” Dromarch suggested as the brog stood to its feet. Nia lunged forward and sliced its front leg with one of her twin rings. Reflexively it swung its arm, and she jumped into the air before it could strike her. She spun around and landed back on her feet. Dromarch rushed to her side.

“Break its stance!” Pyra shouted from behind Rex. “And stay close to me!”

“I know what I’m doing!” He snapped back at her. He grit his teeth as the brog focused on him. It leapt forward and he rolled underneath it. He sliced the brog’s leg clean off as he sprung up. Immediately, however, the flames normally spewing out along his blade died out. Rex stared at it, confused for a moment, and in that time the brog spun around and struck Rex to the ground with its tongue.

“Idiot.” Nia muttered. She grabbed the brog’s tongue as it slithered toward Rex and jumped back into the air. It opened its mouth and dragged its tongue back in, trying to pull Nia into its maw. She planted a foot on each half of its jaw and forced them apart. It reared back into the air, tongue lashing around as it tried to free itself. Nia pulled the disk in her free hand back and sliced its tongue off at the base. It howled, flailing its head wildly. She jumped back and dropped her twin rings. Dromarch instantly caught them in his mouth and unleaded a torrent of water ether straight down the brog’s throat. Its eyes rolled back and it fell to the ground, dead.

“Damn.” Rex whistled, propping himself up with his sword. “I knew you were good but… Where was that last night?”

“Oh shut up.” She spat back as she stowed her twin rings. “You don’t even know the first thing about fighting with a Blade, and you want to lecture me on how I can do better?”

“Hey, I know what I’m doing.” Rex shot back.

“And that’s why you rolled out of your Blade’s range, is it?” Nia asked, crossing her arms. Rex stared at her, confused. “You really are an idiot. Blades supply their weapons with ether energy, but if you get too far away, they can’t keep up the ether flow. Even if you’re fighting with the Aegis, there’s limits to…” She stopped and studied Rex’s expression for a moment. “You don’t even know what she is, do you?” Nia pointed back at Pyra.

“People keep calling her that.” Rex said. “Gramps always told me the Aegis was Addam’s sword.”

“Addam’s Blade.” Gramps sighed. “As in a _Blade_, like Dromarch.”

“Oh. That makes sense, I guess.” He turned to Pyra. “So that’d make you, what, a thousand years old?”

“Has it really been that long?” She asked.

“Pull your head out of your arse.” Nia said, smacking Rex on the back of the head.

“According to Praetorium records, Addam disappeared with the Aegis five hundred and six years ago.”

“Old, then.” Rex sighed. Nia and Pyra both glared at him. “This is what I get for not paying attention to Gramps’s stories.”

“Finally coming around, are we?” Gramps asked.

“Actually, this might be a blessing in disguise.” Rex shrugged. “Being the Aegis guarantees that Pyra’s at least two things. Dangerous and expensive. That brings trouble I’d rather not deal with. The less I know the better. And I’m not sticking around to find out more.”

“You said you’d take me to Elysium.” Pyra said, stepping forward between Nia and Rex. She had her hands folded in front of her and she was looking at the ground. “You gave me your word. Are you going back on that?”

“Well, sorry, but you didn’t give me much of a choice. And I’m not about to stick around if it means looking over my shoulder waiting for Malos or Jin to run me through again.” He turned to Nia and threw the sword at her feet. “You wanted to go to Elysium so badly, so you take her. You’re already a Driver. What’s one more Blade for you anyway?”

“That’s not how this works.” Nia sighed. “Once you’ve resonated with a Blade, they’re bound to you until you die. You can’t just push them onto someone else.”

“Well then she can take herself then, for all I care. I’m not about to go running off chasing a fantasy when I’ve got a hundred grand waiting for me in Argentum. I wish you both the best, but I’m out.” Rex turned around and began walking up the footpath. Pyra locked her eyes on the back of his head as he left. Suddenly he collapsed to the ground, grasping at his chest and unable to breathe.

“No, you’re not.” She said, walking up to Rex. “I didn’t want to do this, but you’ve forced my hand. I gave you half of my life force, and in exchange you agreed to take me to Elysium.” She tapped the hole in her Core Crystal. “That crystal on your chest is the only thing keeping you alive. If you want out, all I have to do is take it back. Are we clear?” Pyra stared at Rex, her hands shaking. He nodded frantically, and after a moment Pyra dropped her gaze and he managed to catch his breath.

“Bloody hell.” He panted as he stood back up. “You’re really serious about this Elysium guff, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry if I went a little overboard.” Pyra said, drawing herself back up. “But I just-”

“You don’t need to apologize for anything, Pyra.” Gramps said, popping out of Rex’s helmet and smacking him on the back of the head. “I was just about to give him a talking to myself.”

“I’ll take you, alright?” Rex threw up his hands. “I’m not happy about it, but if this is how it’s going to be then I’ll do it. The sooner we get this over with, the better for the both of us.”

“And I’m coming with you.” Nia said. “The way you’ve been acting, I doubt you’re capable of making it off Gormott by yourself, much less all the way to the World Tree. Besides, I’m not going to pass up my best shot at getting to Elysium, even if it means having to put up with you.”

“Then I guess we’re travelling together for the time being.” Pyra said, looking between Rex and Nia. “We should probably get going then, right?”

“As much as I want to put all this behind me, I think it’d be best for us to make camp.” Rex said, retrieving the sword from the ground. “I’m still sore from the crash, and I imagine you’re all feeling the same. Not to mention the sun should be setting soon. I say we camp out tonight and follow Nia’s lead tomorrow morning.”

“You know, you can actually make a smart decision every once in a while.” Nia responded. “I think that sounds like a fantastic idea.”

“Indeed.” Dromarch commented. “It does seem prudent.”

“You’re Gormotti.” Rex said, motioning to the pair of cat ears perched atop Nia’s head. “We’re in your territory. Lead the way.”

-

A few hours later the group all sat around a fire next to a small pond, chomping down on spit-roasted brog leg.

“Listen.” Nia, finishing her leg and offering the bone to Dromarch. “I never thanked you properly. For saving us, I mean. Dromarch said that you carried us all the way here.”

“We owe you our lives, Titan.” Dromarch said before casually beginning to chew on the bone.

“No need to thank me.” Gramps said, folding his arms. “After all, you were the ones who saved Rex.”

“Don’t mention it.” Nia waved her hand dismissively. “I wasn’t going to let Malos kill anyone if I could help it. I have to say, though, I am still a little surprised you’re the same Titan that brought us here.”

“I’m not sure I believe it myself.” Gramps remarked. “But I suppose that’s the power of the Aegis for you.”

“Speaking of.” Nia said, turning to Pyra. “I’ve heard the stories, but… I mean… Are you really from Elysium? Is it true you’ve been asleep all this time? Why did you suddenly disappear?”

“I’m not sure I want to talk about it.” Pyra said, drawing her knees toward her chest. “It’s a… sensitive subject.”

“Just as well.” Rex said.

“You’re not the least bit interested?” Nia asked.

“In ancient history like that? Not particularly. I like to look toward the future, or at least I used to before this happened.”

“You need to curb that attitude of yours.” Gramps huffed. “If you hadn’t taken that reckless job in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“What was I supposed to do, turn down two hundred grand?” Rex protested. “Besides, this isn’t even my fault! Jin was the one who got all stabby! And Nia sure picked a convenient time to grow a conscience.”

“Rex!” Pyra shouted. “That’s a horrible thing to say!”

“No, he’s right.” Nia sighed. “For once. I guess I owe you an explanation. How much do you know about Torna?”

“I’ve seen your boss’s poster on the wanted boards a couple of times.” Rex shrugged. “I was looking into brigand groups that have been around for a while, and he seemed to fit the bill. I guess he’s more of a religious extremist, though. I can’t say I know much more about him. Despite the large bounty they’ve put up, Indol haven’t actually given out much information.”

“Jin isn’t really religious, per se. He’s got an… obsession with Core Crystals. Collecting them put Torna at odds with the Praetorium more than once. That wasn’t the reason I joined up, though…” Nia shifted uncomfortably where she sat for a moment before continuing. “About a year ago, Jin and Malos saved my life. They told me they aimed to open the path to Elysium and invited me to join them. At the time it seemed like the Architect himself had sent them. For the first time in years I had something resembling a family. And something to believe in. But the things they did, the things they asked me to do…” She paused for a moment. “Elysium isn’t worth the blood they’ve spilled. And I couldn’t stand by and watch any longer. You won’t have anything to worry about from me.”

“So they’re using Torna’s name now?” Pyra muttered.

Rex and Nia both shot her a quizzical look, but she didn’t elaborate.

“Well, I believe you.” She continued. “And I’m glad to have you with us.”

-

Some time later, everyone lay by the fire asleep. Nia lay against Dromarch’s back while Rex lay sprawled out across the tiny camp, his head resting on his pack. Pyra, meanwhile, stood at the edge of the pond, watching insects glowing with ether flit across its surface with a listless expression.

“Hello there.” Gramps said, fluttering up next to Pyra. “Still awake, I see.”

“I can’t seem to sleep.” Pyra replied. The two of them stood in silence for a moment before Pyra turned to Gramps. “It’s good to see you again, Azurda.”

“Likewise.” He nodded. “Though you’ve changed a lot since last we met, Pyra.”

“I suppose I have.” She returned her gaze to the pond. “A lot’s happened.”

“Yes it has. I wanted to thank you for saving my dear Rex. And I need to know… Do you really intend to return to Elysium?”

“Yes.” She placed her hand over her Core Crystal. “I have to atone for everything that happened.”

“You can’t keep blaming yourself, Pyra. Malos is the one responsible.”

“You don’t really believe that.” She shook her head. “And neither do I.”

“Well, I suppose I can’t change your mind.” Gramps sighed. “You do what you feel you must.”

“That said.” Pyra continued. “I do have one other goal now.”

“Jin and Malos?”

“They cannot reach Elysium. I won’t allow it.”

“The fate of an Aegis never changes…” Gramps shook his head. “And you’re going to get Rex mixed up in all this?” Pyra didn’t respond. Gramps turned to look at Rex. “I’m not blaming you. It’ll do him some good, having a purpose. Certainly more good than I could ever do for him.” He turned back to Pyra to catch her smiling for a moment. “I see half of your Core Crystal is missing. It seems you’ve taken on quite a burden.”

“Azurda, I…” Pyra began speaking but stopped abruptly.

“Promise me you’ll take care of Rex, for however long this lasts.”

“I will.” Pyra nodded. Gramps gave her a smile and turned to fly back to the camp. Pyra resumed staring at the pond, this time with a smile on her face.

-

Rex awoke just after dawn the next morning with a loud yawn, practically startling Nia awake. She and Dromarch sprang up snarling, rings and claws at the ready, before remembering where they were. Pyra jumped slightly at the motion, stepping back from putting out the remains of the fire.

“Sorry.” Nia mumbled. “Light sleeper.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Pyra smiled.

“Right then.” Rex said, clapping his hands together. “We should probably try and find a town or something.” He leaned down and picked up his diving helmet where Gramps had curled up and spent the remainder of the night, reattaching it to the back of his collar. “Nia, you mentioned we were on Gormott yesterday, right?”

“I recognized some of the native wildlife. I grew up here before the Ardainian invasion, so I know my way around some of it.”

“I’ve only ever seen it from a distance, but I remember it looking like a giant Garaffa.”

“More or less.” Nia nodded. “We’re somewhere around its belly. If we wanna find a town, the first step is to get out of this forest. Keep heading up and we’ll hit the plains sooner or later, up on Gormott’s back. The capital city of Torigoth is that way.”

“Brilliant.” Rex nodded. “Let’s get going.” The group began following Nia’s lead as they made their way up the Titan’s body. They spent the next hour clambering over massive tree roots and climbing up beds of vines, scaling the side of the Titan until they emerged from the forest onto a plateau atop the Titan’s right hindleg. The view that greeted them rendered Rex speechless. Nia betrayed a small smirk in response.

Below them stretched a vast landscape of rolling hills pockmarked with boulders, trees, and teeming wildlife stretching across the Titan’s back. Far to their left, Gormott’s spine rose into the clouds above, waterfalls running down the side at several points. On the far side of the plain towered Gormott’s long, plated neck. At the base of the neck, around where it met the spine, great trees sprouted and spread their roots across Gormott’s upper back. And to their right, just before the plains dropped off into the cloud sea, sat a city made of wood and stone under a canopy of roots and vines.

“Oh my goodness…” Pyra said, clasping her hands together. “What a wonderful view!”

“Spectacular indeed.” Gramps said, peering out from behind Rex’s head.

“It’s a nice change of pace.” Rex said, quickly wiping the smile off his face. “Certainly better than slumming it on Gramps’s back.”

“It served you well enough.” Gramps said, crossing his arms with a huff.

“Enough gawking.” Nia pointed toward the city. “That’s Torigoth. Gormott’s last great port city. If we’re going to the World Tree, we’ll need boat. Torigoth port will be our best bet."

“Well, we’re burning daylight.” Rex shook his head and turned from the edge of the plateau, walking down the path leading to the plains. “Let’s go.”

-

After several more hours of wandering the plains, avoiding roaming packs of feris and volffs, they finally arrived at the gates of Torigoth. Outside the city were piles of Grandarbor wood. A crew of Gormotti lumberjacks used a crane to move the logs onto shipping pallets. Next to them, a ramp curved up to Torigoth’s commercial district, complete with a bustling marketplace of Gormotti traders, Nopon merchants, and Ardainian soldiers on patrol.

“So, this is Torigoth.” Rex whistled as they passed underneath the great archway at the top of the ramp.

“It hasn’t changed a bit.” Nia muttered. She looked around briefly at the goings on of the marketplace.

“Nia?” Pyra asked, studying Nia’s face as she noticed the crowd gathering in the center of the commercial district.

“It’s nothing.” Nia responded. “Now we’d better get ourselves to the port. No telling how long it’ll take us to charter a boat to the World Tree.”

“We probably shouldn’t take too long though.” Rex said, pointing toward a bounty board nearby. On it were warrants for the arrest of the members of Torna, including Jin, Malos, and Nia, by order of the Ardainian Empire. “We don’t have Bana paying anyone to look the other way like in Argentum.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Nia smiled, throwing her hood up over her head. “This is Torigoth. I grew up here, remember? We’ll be fine as long as we keep our heads down.”

“Fie!” An Adrainain soldier in full uniform shouted from underneath the tent the crowd had gathered around, drawing the group’s attention. “Who has the courage to heed the Empire’s call?” He was flanked by two other soldiers, and in front of them was a dull blue octahedral crystal resting on a wooden crate.

“Some much for keeping our heads down.” Rex sighed. He gripped the hilt of his sword, but Nia put her hand on his shoulder, pulling him back.

“There’s not here for us.” She said. She nodded to the crystal on the crate. “They’re picking a Driver. Nothing we need to worry about.”

“Your strong heart today will build a strong Mor Ardain tomorrow!” The soldier continued. “Of course, you get more than a salary! Pension and benefits are included! Distinguish yourself, and you could even join the nobility! For the glory of the Ardainian Empire and His Majesty Emperor Niall! Come now! Who wants to be the hero of tomorrow?”

“They’re recruiting Drivers, huh?” Rex commented, taking a step toward the crowd. “Sounds like a sweet gig. I wonder how much they’re paying?”

Nia tightened her grip, pulling him back again. “You’re not seriously considering joining up, are you?”

“And what’d be wrong with that?” Rex shrugged her arm off his shoulder. “I’m out of a job once we get to the World Tree. And it probably pays a sight better than salvaging does. What, you don’t think I have what it takes?”

“I know you don’t.” Nia scoffed. “You might be the Aegis’s Driver, but you don’t know the first thing about handling a Blade. You’ll get yourself killed before you even see a single battle. Of course, that won’t stop Mor Ardain from signing you on. Recently they’ve been recruiting Drivers from all over.”

“The pool of potentials is ever shrinking.” Dromarch said. “They must have run out of candidates in the military.”

“Potentials?” Rex asked. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“See for yourself.” Nia nodded back toward the soldiers. “This won’t take long.”

-

On the other side of the crowd, a tan-skinned Gormotti teenager in a green open-collared tunic marched toward the soldiers. His siblings crowded around him, attempting to turn him around. He waded through them regardless.

“Don’t do it, bro, it’s too dangerous!” One of the kids shouted.

“What will we do if something happens to you?” Another one asked. “Who’ll look after us?”

He gently pushed both aside and continued on his way.

“P-please…” His sister stammered, grabbing his hand.

“I know its dangerous.” He sighed, turning to face her. “But if I can become a Driver…” He turned back to look at the soldiers.

“Outta the way, pipsqueak!” A burly, boisterous Gormotti man shoved the teenager and his siblings aside, moving through them and up to the Ardainian soldiers’ booth. “Alright, c’mon Blade boyo!” He shouted, swaggering in front of the crowd. “Show me whatcha got!” He planted his feet and grabbed the crystal from off the crate. As soon as he touched the crystal, ether began pouring out of his hand. He started stammering, his body spasming as wind ether swirled around his body.

“Yeah, he’s done for.” Nia said, shaking her head.

“Indeed.” Gramps nodded. The man continued to shake. His stammering warped into a full-blown scream. The flow of ether out of the Core Crystal increased until it flashed a bright yellow. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, he threw up and pile of blood, and he fell unconscious into the crowd. Ether continued to stream from the crystal for another moment before subsiding.

“Oho, all bark and no bite!” The soldier remarked as his comrades dragged the man away. “What a shame!”

“What just…” Rex stammered, turning pale. The crowd became distressed and began to thin out. “What just happened? All that blood…”

“Can’t handle the sight of a little blood?” Nia chuckled. Rex snapped out of his stupor and frowned but didn’t respond. “He couldn’t handle the Core Crystal’s power.”

“That’s what happens when someone unqualified touches a Core Crystal.” Dromarch said, watching the soldiers drag the man into a nearby building. “Truly lamentable.”

“Wait, you need a qualification to be a Driver?” Rex asked, looking between Nia and Dromarch.

“Perhaps “aptitude” would be a better word.” Gramps said, popping up out of Rex’s helmet.

“Aptitude…” Rex muttered.

“Now, is there nobody else here ready to test their strength for the glory of the Empire?” The soldier bellowed, stretching his arms out and looking over the thinning crowd.

The Gormotti teenager wiped the sweat from his brow, took a step forward, and locked eyes with the soldier.

“Oh!” The soldier said, pointing toward him. “How about you? What say you? Step forwards, sir, with bold heart!”

“No!” His sister screamed, rushing forward to grab his hand.

“Don’t… Don’t worry.” He said, shrugging her off. He smiled weakly and turned back to the soldier. “Your big bro’s gonna be a Driver, and then we’ll be set for life.”

“Don’t do it!” His siblings screamed as he reached for the Core Crystal. He put his hand on top of it, and ether once again began streaming out. He screamed as the light grew in intensity, but his body stayed completely still.

“There’s your “aptitude”.” Nia smirked.

The ether shot through the teenager’s stomach, glowing white for a moment and coating him in a sea of ether particles. Then it subsided, and a white lance with a glowing blue blade formed in the air in front of him. He grabbed it from the air and looked around dumbfounded. After a moment, the ether collected behind him, forming into a humanoid shape. It was more or less a man, but made entirely of interlocking gold, white, and black armor. Gold horns jutted from the side of his head, and a ring of blue energy glowed in his chest, sending blue light coursing across his entire body.

“I… I did it!” The teenager shouted, looking between his new Blade and his new weapon.

“You did it!” One of his siblings shouted as they all crowed around him. “I don’t believe it!”

“Oh, wow!” Another one shouted, Pyra smiled and ran forward into the crowd. Rex simply stood by, studying the Blade.

“The Core Crystal turned into… a weapon?” He muttered.

“That is how Blades are born, Rex.” Gramps responded.

“What…? But when I touched Pyra’s, she-”

“Is a special case.” Nia interrupted, wagging her finger in Rex’s face. “Pyra is the Aegis, remember? So the usual rules don’t apply. All that business with sharing her life force… Well it’s not exactly normal. You’d know that if you bothered to ask her about any of this yourself.”

“And how do you know so much, huh?” Rex asked, crossing his arms.

“Oh, now you want to know about Pyra?” Nia raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You could just ask her yourself.”

“Alright, enough of this.” Rex threw up his hands. “Which way to the port?”

“Unless you want to stick around for the enrollment ceremony, we’ll need to take a back alley.” Nia said, turning and walking through the commercial district away from the crowd. “Wouldn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention.”

Dromarch trotted up next to Nia as she walked. Rex tapped Pyra on the shoulder, and the two of them followed close behind. They walked next to the city wall past the rest of the stalls before going down a curved path that ran underneath a catwalk flanked by large pipes. Once they passed underneath it, they found themselves in an alleyway behind the city square.

“This whole thing with Core Crystals…” Rex spoke as they walked. “Touching them to create Blades… I’m having a little trouble wrapping my head around it all.”

“We Blades start out formless.” Pyra said. “Anchored to the world only by our Core Crystal. Only the touch of a potential can imbue us with form and being. And it is by those forms we come to be known.”

“You could say,” Gramps interjected, “That it is only the fated touch of a Driver that allows a Blade to exist at all.”

“That sounds like a load of crap.” Rex chuckled. “I mean, that’s really just a nice way of dressing it up. What you’re really saying is that Blades are nothing more than tools.” Gramps smacked him in the back of the head.

“How could you say such a thing!” He shouted.

“I’m not saying I approve.” Rex replied, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m just calling it like I see it.” He looked between Pyra and Dromarch and shrugged. “What surprises me is how much you seem to put up with it.”

“The bond between Blade and Driver is a mysterious thing.” Pyra said. “Driver shapes Blade, and in turn Blade shapes Driver.”

“You’re wasting your breath.” Nia sighed. “He wouldn’t understand. He doesn’t even want to be here, remember?” She glared at Rex. “Speaking of which, the port’s this-”

“Halt! Nobody move!” An Ardainian soldier shouted, running down the hill. His helmet crest was taller than the other soldiers they had seen so far. Several normal soldiers followed closely behind. They spread out, circling around the group until they had cut off all the alleyway’s exits.

“Oh dear…” Gramps said as Nia and Dromarch snapped into a back-to-back fighting stance. “Looks like imperial troops.”

“Great.” Nia rolled her eyes. “We didn’t have time for this.” She reached for her twin rings, but Rex grabbed her hand and gave her a wink. He walked forward and cleared his throat.

“What seems to be the problem, Officer…?” He paused, looking expectantly at the soldier with the larger crest.

“Captain Padraig!” He grunted in response. “That fugitive in your company is an enemy of the state! A member of Torna!”

“There must have been some mistake.” Rex shook his head. “We’ve never even heard of Torna. I think you’ve got the wrong people.” As she spoke, he slowly opened one of his belt pouches and withdrew a handful of gold coins, keeping them clutched tightly in his fist.

“It’s her alright.” Captain Padraig responded. “Female Gormotti Driver, gray hair, white beast-form Blade. She looks exactly like the wanted poster!”

“Wanted poster?” Rex raised an eyebrow. “You can’t trust those drawings, and that description could fit anybo-” Captain Padraig cut Rex off by unfurling a wanted poster from his belt. Staring back at Rex from the page was the spitting image of Nia. “Shit.” He muttered under his breath. “Well I’m sure there’s a way we can resolve this without resorting to such ugly measures.” He reached out his hand toward Captain Padraig. “What do you say?”

“I’d say the Empire doesn’t take kindly to miscreants like you!” Captain Padaraig smacked Rex’s hand aside, sending his handful of coins scattering across the ground. “I don’t know where you’re from, thinking you can bribe an imperial officer, but I won’t overlook such an act again!” He glanced between Rex and Pyra. “Though I suppose we’ll know soon enough. Driver Registration number?”

“Sorry.” Rex smiled, backing away from the Captain. “I’m Leftherian. We don’t register Drivers. We like to keep things more… enterprising.”

“Knock it off, you fool.” Captain Padraig crossed his arms. “All new Drivers must register with Indol, regardless of where they’re from! No number means you must be an illegal, unregistered Driver!”

“I don’t want any trouble.” Rex said, putting his hands up and backing away from the Captain. “I don’t even know this girl very well either.” He nodded to Nia. “She just offered to show me to the port, that’s all. If you want to arrest her, be my guest.”

“I don’t think so!” Captain Padraig shouted. “You’re coming with me as well! We’ll see what the consul has to say about this!”

“Well that went over poorly.” Rex said, grabbing the hilt of his Blade. “It seems you’ve dragged us both into trouble.”

“Me?” Nia hissed. “You’re the one who tried to bribe him! And you tried to leave me behind! Is that how you salvagers deal with problems?”

“Ardainian thickheaded loyalty isn’t my fault.” Rex shot back. “If we were anywhere else, we’d be sitting pretty right now. But I guess we’ve got no choice but to fight.”

“No, you’re going to run. Dromarch and I will clear a path. You get Pyra out of here.”

“So you’re actually fine with me leaving you behind?”

“We’ll catch up soon enough. We can handle a few measly Ardainians.”

“We’re not going to abandon you.” Pyra said, putting her hand on Nia’s shoulder. “You’re our friend, and we’ll stick this one out with you.”

“This is our problem, not yours.” Nia replied. “Besides, you two need to get to the World Tree, don’t you?”

“Nia, for once you and I are in agreement.” Rex said, shaking his head. “We’ll get to the port and grab a ship before these guys alert the rest of the garrison. We’ll wait as long as we can, but if you’re not there before the soldiers are we leave you behind, got it?”

“I was about to say the same thing.” Nia smirked. “Maybe you aren’t a complete idiot. Now let’s go.” She clipped the twin rings from her belt and Rex drew the sword off his back.

“Y-You’re going to resist?” Captain Padraig stammered, stumbling back as Dromarch began growling. “Seriously?

“One… Two…” Nia began counting up.

“A-All right men!” Captain Padraig regained his composure and stood his ground. “We’ve got them outnumbered – move in and take them down!”

“Three!” Nia shouted.

The troops all raised bayonetted rifles, but by the time they took aim Nia had already closed the distance. She struck the closest one’s weapon, slicing it clean in half with one of her rings. The others began firing at her, but between her fluid motions and Dromarch’s ether shield, she didn’t take a single hit. She weaved in between the soldiers, taking out their weapons and knocking them to the ground. As she moved, the soldiers in front of Rex rushed him, bayonets leveled at him. He stood his ground next to Pyra and parried the first strike that came at him. As the soldier stumbled, he attempted to run his sword through the man’s chest. Instantly it’s ether flow shut down, and the weapon deflected harmlessly off the soldier’s armor.

“What’s the big idea?” Rex asked, stepping back next to Pyra and blocking another strike with his inert sword. “I had him. Why’d you shut off the ether?”

“We’re not murderers, Rex.” Pyra frowned. After a moment, the sword flared to life again. “You might not have any regard for human life, but I do. No killing.”

“Hey, cut me some slack.” Rex protested, knocking another soldier back. “I’ve never actually killed anyone. It’s just that with the situation we’re in I didn’t see many options. I’m not some psychopath.”

“If you were, you wouldn’t be the Aegis’s Driver in the first place.” Pyra smiled. “I’m just making sure it stays that way.”

“Rex! Now!” Nia shouted, knocking one of the Ardainian soldiers to the ground. She shoved another one to the side and swept the feet out from under a third. Rex grit his teeth and slashed his sword, unleashing a wave of fire at the feet of the soldiers in front of him. As soon as it landed, he turned and ran, jumping over Nia and sprinting down the hill toward the port. Before he could go far, however, a wall of blue flames erupted in front of him, cutting off his path. He skidded to a halt, and Nia ran up behind him.

“Wha-?!” Rex said, looking around at the flames. “Pyra?”

“Not me.” She replied.

“Such a commotion.” A woman at the other end of the alley spoke. “Just when I thought I could enjoy a little peace and quiet.” The group turned around to see a woman in a blue, open-cut dress with long, blue, flaming hair approaching the scene from behind Captain Padraig. She was dual wielding ornate, segmented rapiers, and her arms and legs were coated in rippling blue fire. Small, flame-like patterns glowed blue on her forehead, and set in the collar of her dress was a blue, flame-shaped Core Crystal.

“Brighid.” Nia growled.

“You know her?” Rex asked, looking at Nia for a moment.

“Let’s just say there’s more than one reason I joined Torna.” Nia replied, her voice on the edge of a snarl.

“L-lady Brighid!” Captain Padraig stammered, quickly shuffling to attention.

“Is she a Blade?” Rex asked, taking a step back toward the flames. “Wh-where’s her Driver?” He looked around the alley, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone who might be lurking.

“My Driver is otherwise engaged at present.” Brighid said, walking past Captain Padraig. “I am here alone.”

“Too bad!” Nia said, baring her fangs. “I guess the Special Inquisitor won’t be here to see me rip her Blade to pieces!”

“You think you can take her?” Captain Padraig laughed. “Lady Brighid is the Jewel of Mor Ardain, the strongest Blade in the Empire! Even alone, she’s more than a match for you!” He turned to face Brighid. “Lady Brighid, these miscreants are terrorists working for Torna! Please lend me your power to bring them to justice!” He gave a light bow.

“Torna?” She muttered. She swept her gaze over the group until her eyes landed on Pyra. “That emerald Core Crystal… Could it really be true?” Pyra tensed up as Brighid studied her. “Well, well.” She turned to the captain. “Captain Padraig, you are not to kill them. Take these ones in alive.” She turned back to the group and readied her rapiers.

“Roger!” Captain Padraig saluted. “Men, bring the you-know-what!”

“Sir!” The two soldiers behind him saluted and ran off up the hill.

“Brighid!” Nia shouted, rushing forward. She tossed her rings in the air as she ran. Dromarch leapt up and grabbed them in his mouth, unleashing a torrent of water ether at Brighid. The Blade crossed her swords in front of her face, putting up a shield of flame ether in the water’s path. The two streams of ether collided, and Brighid was pushed back slightly. As soon as Dromarch landed, Nia grabbed her rings and rushed Brighid, slashing wildly. Brighid parried her strikes and thrust a sword at Nia’s chest. She managed to block it in time but lost her footing as it forced her back. She fell backward, and Brighid tried to bring her sword down through Nia’s shoulder. Rex launched forward and blocked the strike with his sword.

“Nia!” He shouted, forcing Brighid’s blade to the side. “Pull yourself together! You need to put out those flames!” He stepped forward, moving over Nia and blocking Brighid’s other sword as she swung it.

Brighid took a step backward and swung her swords up as Nia scrambled back to Dromarch’s. The segments of the swords separated, splitting and extending into two long whips with blue flame dancing between each segment. She then brought her whips down, filling the alleyway with the flame and forcing Rex back.

As Rex landed, Brighid’s whips straightened back out into swords and she swung them in a cross, sending an x-shaped wave of flame ether hurdling toward him. With a yell, he swung his sword up and intercepted the flames with his own. As the two opposing streams of ether collided, they produced a shockwave, dispersing the wall of flame behind Rex and filling the air with smoke and ether embers.

“Wha-?!” Rex said, shielding his eyes from the smoke. “She repelled out attack!”

“She’s strong enough to match me…” Pyra said. She clenched her fists and took a step back. “I suppose she never did disappoint.”

“And this is without a Driver.” Gramps nodded.

“Stop yammering!” Nia shouted. “Just get her!” She jumped out of the smoke and dove for Brighid again, her twin rings drawn back and Dromarch at her side. Brighid didn’t move. As Nia and Dromarch descended, two webs of yellow ether energy flew over Brighid’s shoulders. Dromarch let out a growl as one collided with him, wrapping him up and knocking him out of the air.

“Dromarch!” Nia shouted just before the second one hit her, subjecting her to the same fate. The Blade and Driver both rolled along the ground for a moment before coming to rest. “Dromarch…” Nia grunted, struggling against her bindings.

“This is an ether net!” Captain Padraig laughed from behind Brighid. “Let’s see you use your precious Arts when you can’t draw ether from the atmosphere!”

“Even Blades have weaknesses.” Brighid said, advancing on Rex. “This is one such weakness. Without the flow of ether, Blades are quite useless.”

“Nia!” Pyra shouted. “Dromarch! Just hold on!”

“Get outta here!” Nia replied. “Save yourselves!”

“No!” Pyra shook her head. “We’re not going to abandon you!”

“She’ll be fine.” Rex said. “If you care so much about Elysium, then we need to escape. Now.”

“But-” Pyra began to protest, but Nia cut her off.

“No buts, Pyra!” She shouted. “Just go!”

“We must withdraw for now!” Gramps said, steadying himself in Rex’s helmet. “It’s our only chance!”

“You won’t escape.” Brighid said, slashing her swords to either side. Two lines of blue flame erupted from the tips of the swords, encircling Rex and Pyra once again. The sudden increase in heat caused Rex to stumble for a moment.

“Dammit!” He shouted. He glanced around briefly at the scene before him. Brighid was slowly moving toward him, with Captain Padraig not far behind. Further up the alley, the two soldiers from earlier were lining up a cannon directly at him.

Before anyone had any time to make something of the situation, however, a metallic blue orb shot through the wall of flame, colliding with the pipes on the side of the catwalk above Brighid. As the orb collided with the pipes it exploded, tearing them to shreds and dumping a torrent of water straight onto Brighid’s head. She managed to hold her ground as the steam washed over her, but Captain Padraig and the other soldiers were swept up in the steam. The flames on and around her, however, were extinguished, revealing blue cloth coverings underneath. It only took another moment for the water to put out the flames across the alley.

“Now!” Pyra shouted. She and Rex both grabbed the handle of the sword. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they pointed the blade toward the sky. Pure ether energy began glowing all around them, and the flames along the sword roared and churned with vigor despite the surrounding water. They swung it down at Brighid before she could react. From the tip of the blade poured a column of fire, racing along the ground and enveloping her, blanketing the alley in a cloud of steam in the process.

“Let’s go!” Rex shouted, turning and running down the alleyway. Pyra wasted no time in following, and soon the two of them had disappeared around the next bend.

“Don’t let them escape!” Captain Padraig shouted, staggering to his feet. “Get after them!” He raised his weapon, and the soldiers behind him charged forward into the steam.

“To pull that off despite all this water…” Brighid muttered, staring at the space where Rex and Pyra were a moment ago. “So the legends of the Aegis were real.” She paused, and after a moment betrayed a small smile.

-

Rex and Pyra continued to rush down the alley. After the slope leveled out, it took a turn to the right, following the edge of a cliff. Almost immediately, the path turned into an outdoor storage area for a warehouse. Red scaffolding and rigging that housed half a dozen Titan ships was visible over the tangle of boxes and crates. Right as Rex and Pyra ran past, the wall of the warehouse creaked open.

“Hey! Hey!” A small voice called from inside. Rex and Pyra skidded to a halt as an orange and tan Nopon wearing overalls and welding goggles poked his head through. “This way, friends, come this way!” He shouted, beckoning Rex and Pyra through the secret entrance. “Tora help you escape!”

“A Nopon?” Rex asked, crossing his arms. “Who’re you?”

“Quick, no time for explain!” Tora began flapping his wings aggressively. The shouting of the Ardainian soldiers began echoing down the alley. Rex and Pyra shot each other a hesitant look before running through the secret entrance. As soon as they were through, Tora took one last look around before shutting the wall. A few moments later, Captain Padraig and the other soldiers arrived, took a brief look around, and headed across a bridge to the other side of the port.

“You saved us.” Rex said, panting as he and Pyra followed Tora through the warehouses corridors. “But I gotta ask… Why?”

“No reason…” Tora said, not turning to face Pyra or Rex.

“Gold it is then.” Rex sighed. “It’s always something with you Nopon. Listen, I’m a bit short on cash at the moment, on account of some stingy Ardainians, but I can get you payment as soon as I get back to-” As he spoke, Pyra smacked him on the back of the head.

“You really need to control that attitude of yours.” She said, pouting.

“Alright, I probably deserved some of those slaps earlier.” Rex replied. “But this is ridiculous. Have you ever met a Nopon who wasn’t interested in money? You can’t trust ‘em unless you’re paying ‘em, and even then you can’t be fully sure.”

“Tora not here for money.” Tora said, turning around. “Truth is, Tora not like those big bully soldiers. Was thinking to test out shiny new Boom Biter on big bullies. That’s when Tora see friends running from them. Boom Biter missed and hit pipe, but results not so bad, hey?”

“So it was you who shot the pipe.” Pyra said. “Thank you for saving us. My name is Pyra, and this is my Driver Rex. It’s very lovely to meet you.”

“Good to meeting!” Tora laughed, puffing out his chest.

“And you’re sure you don’t want any money?” Rex asked, narrowing his eyes.

“What friend mean?” Tora replied. Rex put his head in his hands and sighed.

“I don’t understand anyone in this bloody city.” He muttered. “Well, Tora, thanks for missing that shot, I guess.”

“Very welcome.” Tora said, turning around and continuing down the corridor. “Now come this way. Will be safer to talk at house of Tora.”

-

Consul Dughall stood behind his desk in his office. On the other side of it stood the newly christened Gormotti Driver from the ceremony earlier in the day. Next to him stood his Blade, at full attention.

“Well Jac.” Dughall said, shaking the boy’s hand. “It’s always good to have another Driver on hand. You and Yachik make quite the pair. Report to the garrison to have you uniform fitted, then speak to Captain Padraig about your Driver registration. Once that’s complete, you’ll ship off to Mor Ardain to start your training in the military.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jac said, releasing Dughall’s hand. “I won’t let you down. But, if I may, I’d like to know how long it’ll be before my siblings start receiving their share of my salary.”

“Rest assured, lad.” Dughall walked around his desk and clapped Jac on his back. “They’ll be taken good care of. The Empire looks after its own. Now you just get down to the garrison. We’ll take care of the rest.”

“Yes, sir!” Jac nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you, sir!” He and his Blade gave clumsy salutes and exited Dughall’s office just as Captain Padraig entered.

“Reporting on the situation of the unregistered Driver and Blade, sir!” Padraig shouted as he entered.

“Calm down, Padraig.” Dughall sighed, waving his arms dismissively. “Just tell me what happened.”

“Well, sir, we found the boy just like you said we would.” Padraig began delivering his report. “With him was a young female Gormotti Driver, one of the members of Torna the military put out a bounty against. We engaged them just outside the commercial district and managed to capture the girl and her Blade. The boy and his Blade who seemed to be working with them, the ones you alerted me about, unfortunately got away. But, now that a member of Torna has been put away, the town is once again safe for-”

“Say, Padraig,” Dughall said, turning and putting his hands on his desk, “Do you remember what my orders were?”

“Sir?” Padraig asked.

“I told you to capture the Blade with the emerald Core Crystal, did I not?” He turned to face Padraig. “Do you recall me ever telling you to capture some little girl with barely a bounty on her head?”

“B-but sir!” Padraig snapped to attention. “She’s a member of Torna-”

“I’ll say it slowly for you, just so we’re clear.” Dughall put one hand on his hips and glared at Padraig. “Get. The Blade. With. The emerald. Core Crystal.”

“Believe me, we tried our best. Sir.” Captain Padraig responded. “But there was outside interference. Even with Lady Brighid, we-”

“You clod!” Dughall shouted. He grabbed a vase off his desk and hurled it at Padraig’s head, just barely missing the side of his elongated helmet. “You had help from the Jewel and you still couldn’t capture them? Just how incompetent are you?”

“If I may, sir, I really don’t see the reason you’re so obsessed with this Blade.”

“Absolute dunderhead!” Dughall shouted, turning away from Padraig. “How many Blades do you see with green Core Crystals? That’s the kind of thing I, and by extension the Empire, could benefit from acquiring. Imagine it – the rarest Blade known to man. And you let it get away!”

“I’m very sorry, sir.” Padraig hung his head. “It won’t happen agai-”

“Silence!” Dughall turned around and punched Padraig square in the face, knocking him to the floor. “I’ve had about enough of you!”

“Consul!” Another soldier shouted, running through the office entrance.

“What is it?” Dughall asked, rubbing his hand. “Haven’t you heard of knocking?” He crossed his arms and leaned against his desk.

“My apologies, sir!” The soldier gave a salute. “It’s just that Lady Mòrag has…”

“What? Spit it out!” Dughall shouted.

“Special Inquisitor Mòrag has just arrived from the motherland.” The soldier continued.

“Already?!” Dughall slammed his fists against the desk. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”

“Her ship has just docked.”

“This…” Consul Dughall put his hand up to his chin and began looking around frantically. “This cannot be happening!”

-

Just beyond the horizon of the Cloud Sea, an Ardainian Titan Battleship sailed toward Torigoth. It was more than twice the size of the Goldmouth Titan, and it was almost entirely covered in mechanical additions save for the thick hide on its back. Its head was fitted with a cockpit anchored to its spine, while most of the battleship proper was anchored into its underbelly, protruding almost to the Titan’s ribcage. Wings were mounted on the sides of the Titan for easier control of its movements, and exhaust columns rose from the rear of its back, venting the heat and smoke from a series of engines designed to help propel the Titan forward.

It sliced through the cloud sea as it sailed, fast approaching the Adranian garrison on the head-facing side of Torigoth. Once the docking station was in sight, it rapidly began to decelerate, pulling up next to a long bridge suspended above the cloud sea. On the whole, the Titan stretched all the way from the garrison to the edge of the port and towered above the canopy of roots and vines that sheltered the city. Once it had come to a stop, mechanical arms anchored to the side of Gormott beneath the Cloud Sea rose up to clasp it in place, and the cargo hold doors on its side opened, connecting it to the bridge leading to the garrison.

Out from the cargo hold walked a lone woman. She wore blue Ardainian military formal wear with red and white trimmings and white gloves. Platinum clasps holding up a set of cloth shoulder tassels draped over her shoulders and back to form an outer collar covering her neck. Over one of her shoulders, she also wore a platinum pauldron with three interlocking layers, all gold trimmed. A similar design of layered plate covered the sides of her legs, attached to a central platinum plate that covered her waist and lower stomach. Out from these hip plates flowed the split tails of a waistcoat, fluttering behind her as she walked. Her legs were also covered in platinum armor, covering both her feet and shins up to the kneecaps. She had long, black hair cropped to either side of her face, kept in place by her hat, a crisp Adranian officer’s hat complete with a golden Ardainian military insignia and eye guard descending from the brim.

Underneath the visor were orange eyes and a stern expression. She walked with purpose down the bridge toward the fenced-in parade grounds of the garrison.

-

Tora led Rex and Pyra through the warehouse until they arrived in a larger, wooden room. It appeared to be someone’s home. On the far wall were the countertops of a kitchen, complete with cabinets and a stove. In the middle of the room was an octagonal wooden table build around a fire pit. The pit sat in the floor with a pot on top directly underneath a makeshift chimney constructed out of the pipes that cross-crossed the edges of the room. Clothes hung between these pipes and the gas-powered lanterns hung around the room. Off to one side was what appeared to be a work bench beneath a sleeping loft.

“You live down here?” Rex asked.

“This just back door.” Tora said. He pointed toward a doorway on the opposite side of the room from the loft. “Front entrance over there.”

“You live in a warehouse?” Rex muttered, still standing in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder and stumbled, taken aback. In front of him was a grate, beyond which was nothing but a long drop to the Cloud Sea. “A very high up warehouse…”

“Nice view, eh?” Tora beamed. “Tora like to just sit and watch Cloud Sea sometimes.”

“You have a wonderful home.” Pyra said, giving a small bow. “We’re grateful for everything you’ve done for us.”

“Mehehe.” Tora laughed, blushing. “Anyway… Rex-Rex…”

“Rex-Rex?” Rex asked, walking into the room.

“Rex-Rex.” Tora nodded. “Tora explain other reason for save you. You see…” He sighed, pausing for a moment. “Tora always wanted to make Driver friends.”

“Interested in Drivers, are you?” Rex asked.

“But of course.” Tora said, flapping his wings excitedly. “Tora think it amazing how Driver and Blade join spirits together to make big power! Tora really want to be sidekick of Rex-Rex!”

“Not happening.” Rex shook his head. “We’re not in the market for hired muscle. And besides, I’m out of money. I can’t pay you.”

“Tora not want money.” Tora shook his head. “Already told Rex-Rex that. Tora just want to travel with friends, learn how to be Driver.”

“You want to work for free?” Rex said. “I mean… Sure, why not?”

“I don’t think he’s looking to volunteer.” Gramps said. “I think he just wants to be friends.”

“A Nopon.” Rex said, crossing his arms. “Who just wants to be friends. I never thought I’d see the day.” He sighed. “If you want to come with us, I’m not going to stop you, but you should know that we’re going to the World Tree.”

“That no problem for Tora.” Tora beamed. “Have been to many trees before. Rest assured, Tora will be of great help to Rex-Rex.”

“You know my name is just Rex, right?” Rex asked. “One Rex, not two.”

“What is point?” Tora replied, cocking his head to the side.

“I…” Rex started speaking but paused. “I don’t even know how to respond to that. I guess… it’s just different from what I’m used to.”

“Double name just show Tora’s respect! Respect for great Driver! Rex-Rex should be proud!”

“Finally.” Rex smirked. “A little respect from someone around here.” Both Gramps and Pyra scowled at Rex. “I guess friends it is, then.” He put out his hand.

“Really?” Tora shouted, jumping up and down. “Tora will be friend of Rex-Rex? Hooray!” He began flapping his wings and bouncing around the room. Rex quietly retracted his hand and betrayed a chuckle.

“He certainly is a lively one.” Pyra commented.

“Yeah, well lively doesn’t do us much good.” Rex replied. “We’ll need to think of a use for him.”

“Rex, we aren’t mercenaries.” Pyra said, returning to her scowl. “I don’t know what kind of life you’ve led up until now, but this isn’t just some job. Nia and Tora are our companions. Our friends.”

“More your friends than mine, really.” Rex said, leaning back against the wall as Tora wound down. “I’m here to get you to the World Tree. Once that’s done, I’m going back to Argentum.”

“Well until then, maybe it’d do you some good to spend time with others.” Gramps said. “Learn some manners and basic decency.”

“Well, you’re all welcome to try.” Rex shrugged. “But back in the real world, we’ve got places to be.” He turned to Tora, who had by this point finally came to a halt. “Tora, how much do you know about town? Do you think you could get us a boat to the World Tree?”

“Let’s see…” Tora said, rubbing his chin with his wings. “Uncle Umon used to make ships. Tora hasn’t heard from him since he moved to Mor Ardain, though. And Tora not really know many people in Torigoth, so not sure who to talk to about boat.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know where the army takes prisoners, would you?” Pyra asked.

“You’re not seriously planning to rescue them, are you?” Rex said, turning to face her.

“We can’t just abandon them, they’re our friends.” She responded. “This is not up for debate.”

“Fine.” Rex sighed, crossing his arms and pouting slightly. “But for the record, this is a terrible idea.”

“Oh!” Tora said. “You talk about Driver and Blade who were with Rex-Rex before Tora’s daring rescue?”

“Yeah.” Pyra nodded. Rex rolled his eyes.

“Mehmeh…” Tora sighed, closing his eyes. “Tora would have to ask around town for info like that. Before we do anything, time for food!” Suddenly, he flipped from pensive to excited once again. “All of today’s running around make Tora hungry. Need food to help Rex-Rex and Pyra!”

“I’m a little peckish too.” Gramps said, popping out to the side of Rex’s helmet.

“Can’t we eat later?” Rex asked. “We’re burning daylight as it is. I’d rather get Nia and Dromarch and get off this Titan as soon as possible.”

“We can’t go breaking prisoners out of an Adranian base on an empty stomach.” Gramps said. “We don’t have to be in a rush all the time.”

“I could cook something.” Pyra offered, drawing everyone’s attention. “If it’s alright with everyone, that is.”

“You can cook?” Rex asked. “Then why did we have to suffer my mediocre brog leg roast last night?”

“Well, you seemed to be having fun.” Pyra replied. “You don’t smile much, so I thought I wouldn’t interrupt.” Rex frowned but stayed silent. “But yes, I can cook.” Pyra chuckled. “As long as fire is involved, I can do almost anything. Fry, steam, grill – you name it.” She snapped her fingers and a small flame appeared in her hands. Tora jumped back and shouted with excitement.

“If you want ice cream though…” Pyra continued, closing her fist and snuffing the flame out. “You might have to find someone else.”

“Well, you can’t have everything.” Rex said.

-

“Oh man!” Rex shouted, stuffing food into his mouth. “This is delicious!” The four of them sat around the table in the middle of the room with hot plates of Pyra’s cooking in front of them.

“Yum-yummy!” Tora said through a mouthful of dumplings. “So super very tasty!”

“Simply exquisite!” Gramps said, wiping a tear from his eye. He sat on the table next to his plate. “I haven’t eaten this good in a hundred and twenty years!”

“Glad you liked it!” Pyra said, putting her hands together. “I was worried I’d have gotten a little rusty over the years, but it seems like it came out fine.”

“Are you kidding?” Rex said, taking another bite. “Compared to the custip I’m used to cooking up, it didn’t taste rusty at all.” Pyra and Tora stared at him. “Listen, I never claimed to be a good chef.”

“Tora is curious.” Tora said, changing the subject. “Pyra is fire-using Blade, yes? When Tora broke that water pipe, Pyra could still make fire.”

“Come to think of it, you’re right.” Gramps said, putting his food down. “Brighid’s a fire Blade just like Pyra. But the water seemed to douse much of her strength.”

“Are you saying the water should have affected Pyra as well?” Rex asked.

“Well, any Blade would be hard-pressed to form fire ether in a place already full of water ether.” Gramps responded. “The elements aren’t compatible. But Pyra’s powers were unaffected.”

“Why?” Tora asked.

“Well.” Pyra started speaking. Everyone turned to face her, and she blushed a little. “My powers don’t come from fire.”

“Mehmeh?!” Tora said, leaning forward in his seat. “If powers not fire, why look like flames?”

“Th-that may be a little complicated to explain…” Pyra stuttered.

“Go on then.” Tora nodded. “Tora like complicated things a lot.”

“Ah, well,” She began speaking, “U-um, I, it…” She stammered for a few moments, not able to muster any words.

“Knock it off, Tora.” Rex said. “Can’t you see you’re making her uncomfortable?”

“Meh…” Tora sighed, sitting back.

“Everyone has things they’d rather not talk about.” Rex turned to Pyra. “Right?”

“I’m sorry.” Pyra shook her head. “I know I haven’t told you much, but-”

“Discretion’s not something to apologize for.” He said, cutting her off. “And I prefer things the way they are. I try not to pry into a client’s business if I can help it.”

“So that’s what I am? A client?”

“I don’t really know what else to call you. You saved my life and threatened to kill me in the span of a day, so…” He shrugged. “Anyway, right now we need to think about rescuing Nia and Dromarch.”

“First, we go around town!” Tora offered. “Find all information we can!”

“That may be troublesome.” Gramps commented. “I daresay the three of us are wanted criminals by this point. And Pyra sticks out like a sore thumb. We’ll need some way to stay discreet.”

“What about that cloak over there?” Rex said, pointing over to a cloak hanging near Tora’s workbench.

“N-not that one!” Tora stammered. “Definitely not! That one needs to stay!” He coughed and composed himself for a moment. “Tora have idea. What if Tora go out into town and find a new cloak? Could also look for information about other friends while gone.”

“A prudent idea.” Gramps nodded. “We’ll wait here for your return then, Tora.”

-

“Special inquisitor Mòrag!” Consul Dughall smiled and bowed as the woman from the Titan Battleship stepped off the bridge. He stood just inside the grounds of the garrison, flanked by four troops, including Captain Padraig. “To what do we owe this extreme pleasure? Had we but heard of Your Grace’s visit, we could have prepared a suitable-”

“I don’t stand on ceremony, Consul.” Mòrag said, crossing her arms. “I’d rather you just did your job.”

“Y-your Grace?” Dughall stammered, keeping up his smile. “Someone of your standing deserves to be treated as such! You are His Majesty’s representative! Please permit us to lay on a meal befitting Your Grace. Until then, we would be honored if-”

“You made impressive time.” Brighid said, crossing the parade grounds. She walked past Consul Dughall and straight up to Mòrag. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

“L-Lady Brighid!” Dughall said, quickly shuffling out of her way and bowing once again.

“If we have found the Aegis, then there is no time to waste.” Mòrag said, walking forward. “But I fear the passage has taken its toll on our engines.”

“The Aegis?” Dughall asked. “H-How do you-?!”

“Is there a problem, Dughall?” Mòrag asked, cutting the Consul off with an icy stare.

“N-not at all, Your Grace.” Dughall shook his head, putting his smile back on.

“Good.” Mòrag nodded. “Now, you’ve captured a Driver from Torna. I am going to speak with her.”

“Wha-?” Dughall said, staring at Mòrag for a moment. “Why do you want-”

“Dughall.” Mòrag said, a slight edge rising in her voice. “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

“Y-yes, Your Grace!” Dughall replied with a slight jump. “I’ll take you to her right away!” He turned and began walking back into the garrison, motioning for his men to follow. Brighid and Mòrag walked closely behind. They made their way to a metal building against the far wall of the garrison, next to a watchtower. It was a prison, lined with half a dozen cells that amounted to little more than large metal boxes. Once inside, Dughall swiftly walked over to the door to one of them and opened it. Inside was Nia, sat with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. Mòrag entered the room, followed by Brighid, who closed the door behind them.

“So, you are the Torna terrorist.” Mòrag said, looking down at where Nia sat. Her weapons had been taken away from her, but she was otherwise unrestrained. Nia didn’t reply, and instead simply clicked her tongue. “I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk.”

“That’s what you said last time, too.” Nia said, opening her eyes. “That’s the same line Mor Ardain fed Gormott. Just before she-” Nia jabbed a finger toward Brighid. “-set fire to the capital. Drop the friendly act. It doesn’t fool us Gormotti.”

“You resent me for the invasion.” Mòrag remarked. She took a moment to digest that information. “I feel your sentiment is misplaced. I wasn’t in the military at the time. I had no hand in what happened to your people.”

“Is that an excuse?” Nia asked. “My sister burned alive at the hands of your own Blade, and you’re making excuses?” She jumped up and extended the nail claws on one of her hands, tearing through her white glove. She attempted to slash at Mòrag, but Brighid drew her swords and placed them against Nia’s throat. The two of them stared each other down. Nia let out a low growl but sat back down, withdrawing her claw.

“All I need from you is the name of your friends.” Mòrag said, unfolding her arms. “Give me that, and we can work out a deal.”

“My friends?” Nia replied. “I’m not so sure I’d call those trigger-happy Torna goons “friends”.”

“I think we have our wires crossed, here. I am not talking about Torna. I was referring to your more recent travelling companions. The Driver boy and his Blade.”

“You want me to help you get them?” Nia asked, crossing her own arms. “Sorry to disappoint, but that’s not happening.”

“If you aren’t willing to comply, then you’ll be shipped back to Mor Ardain and tried for your crimes against the state. With the blood on your hands, you’re almost certain to earn a public execution.”

“Go ahead.” Nia spat. “Kill another Gormotti girl. I’m sure that comes as naturally to you as breathing, at this point. But I won’t sell out my friends. Here in Gormott we call that having principles. I’m sure it’s a concept an Ardainian couldn’t understand.”

“I see.” Mòrag set her jaw. “You’ve made your choice. Pray you don’t come to regret it.” She turned and opened the door. “And remember that I gave you a chance to cooperate.” Her and Brighid left the room closing the door behind them. As soon as they were gone, Nia let out her breath and collapsed into the corner.

-

“Tora back!” Tora said, walking back through his house’s front entrance after a few hours in town. In his hand he held a neatly folded brown cloak. The others stood waiting for him by the door.

“Found disguise.” He said, handing the cloak to Pyra. She unfolded it and slipped it over her head. It had ornate patterns running down the sleeves and ear slots for a Gormotti’s second pair of ears, but it covered her clothing and glowing Core Crystal completely.

“This looks like it could actually work.” Pyra said, twirling around and looking the cloak over.

“Yes.” Tora said, not turning to face either her or Rex. “Tora also found news of friends.” He sat back at his place around the table and hung his head.

“What’ve you got to be down about?” Rex asked, returning to his seat. “If you know where they are then that’s good. It means we can get moving and rescue them.”

“Rex-Rex not understand.” Tora shook his head. “Tora heard that friends are being held on Titan Battleship anchored at garrison. And that they are being executed tomorrow.” Upon hearing the news, Pyra too took her seat. Gramps jumped out of Rex’s helmet and stood next to Tora.

“Nia and Dromarch, executed…” Pyra muttered. “It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

“And you’re sure this information’s solid?” Rex asked.

“Tora overhear from two big bully soldiers.” Tora sighed. “They said execution taking place right here in Torigoth.”

“So we’ve got until tomorrow to break them out.”

“Getting aboard that warship will be no mean feat.” Gramps said. “We’re going to need an ironclad plan.”

“Army port is under heavy guard, but Tora have one saving grace.” Tora said. “Old map of Uncle Umon’s, from when he helped design garrison.” He pulled a sheet of parchment from his belt and unfurled it on the table. On it was a map of the Ardainian Garrison, complete with a detailed layout of where to dock various classes of Ardainian Navy Titan ships. Rex and Pyra got up and stood over Tora’s shoulders to study it.

“Anybody have any bright ideas?” Rex said. “I don’t have much experience planning suicide missions.”

“Fortunately, I do.” Pyra said. “There.” She pointed to a massive root that stretched from Gormott’s side all the way underneath the Titan Battleship’s dockyard. “This is one of the Grandarbor’s roots, right? If this map is correct, it goes all the way from the quay to the hull of the warship. And here.” She pointed to another spot, this time on the Titan Battleship’s silhouette. “This indicates there should be an entrance of some kind.”

“Good thinking.” Rex said. “If we sneak in from below, no one’ll spot us until we’re already aboard.”

“It less entrance, more exhaust system.” Tora said, studying the map himself. “But battleship idling right now, so it should be accessible. Friends won’t find lighter security anywhere on the ship.”

“Looks like this is our only option.” Gramps remarked.

“As far as death sentences go, this does seem like a pretty solid plan.” Rex nodded. “But if we go in there alone, we’ll be dead on arrival. I don’t trust myself to take on the crew of an entire Ardainian battleship, even with the Aegis’s help.”

“What if Rex-Rex went in with two Blades?” Tora asked.

“Tora, where are we supposed to get a second Blade?” Rex responded. “Do you have a spare Core Crystal lying around?”

“Even better.” Tora said, his mouth twisting into a slightly sinister smile. “Tora have something to show you.” He hopped off his seat at the table and walked over to his work station. Cluttered around it were myriad tools and spare parts, and in the middle was a cloth draped over an object about the size of Rex. Tora pulled back the cloth to reveal something that superficially resembled a Blade.

It wasn’t human, but it was shaped like a human. Specifically, it was in the shape of a young girl with purple pigtails. She wore a tattered red coat, a string of red jewels on a necklace, a white flower pinned to her chest, and a red-trimmed white beret. Everything else about her, however, was entirely made of metal, including her hair, which was fastened to her head with a large screw on her forehead. Out of the side of her head protruded two golden spikes reminiscent of Jac’s Blade. However, she distinctly lacked a Core Crystal shining anywhere on her body, despite the channels of orange ether woven into her metal plating. Rex and Pyra stood speechless as they stared at it.

“Nobody ever see this before.” Tora beamed. “Secret of Tora! An Artificial Blade!” Tora put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest as he spoke.

“An Artificial…” Pyra said, failing to form words. “What does that even mean?”

“Blade not have Core Crystal.” Tora replied. “Instead, powered entirely be ether furnace.”

“So it’s a Driver-less Blade.” Rex said. “That’s…” He whistled. “That’s heavy.”

“Tora have always wanted to be Driver of Blade.” Tora continued. “But Tora…” He sighed. “Tora has no potential to awaken Core Crystal.”

“How could you know that?” Rex asked. “Surely you’d just have to try, and-”

“Tora did try. One year ago, Tora applied to Driver recruitment man.”

“Oh Tora…” Pyra said. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been.”

“It was bad.” Tora said, shaking his head. “But, once Tora recover, work on Artificial Blade began. When complete, even no potential Tora can be a Driver!”

“More than that.” Rex motioned toward the Artificial Blade. “If this thing works, anyone could be a Driver. Mor Ardain could solve their Driver shortage overnight. Hell, they might not even need Drivers in the first place.”

“What Rex-Rex talk about?” Tora asked.

“Tora, what you’ve got here isn’t just a Blade. It’s the future. Any country that gets their hands on this technology would be able to… Well, conquer all of Alrest, I’d imagine.”

“It not be so easy as that.” Tora said. “Artificial Blade took Tora a year to make. Ether furnace alone cost hundreds of thousands of gold to build. Besides, Tora refuse to sell secrets of Artificial Blade to anyone. Is all Tora have left of Grampypon and Dapapon.”

“I thought you said you built this yourself?” Gramps asked.

“That not quite accurate.” Tora replied. “Ether furnace designed by Grampypon, and first Artificial Blade started by both Grampypon and Dadapon. But Grampypon die, first Artificial Blade destroyed, and Tora still not know where Dadapon go to…” Tora closed his eyes and composed himself for a moment. “So Tora will finish Blade and become a Driver like always wanted! Then Dadapon hear about Tora’s success and come back home, yes?”

“Well it’s your invention.” Rex shrugged. “You’ve the right to do with it what you want. Still, it is a shame. This thing could change the world.”

“And start a war.” Pyra said, crossing her arms. “Get people killed.”

“War’s good for business.” Rex responded. “Or it used to be, anyway.”

“Is money all you can think about?”

“In my defense, I did spend the last five years of my life in Argentum. You won’t last an hour in that slum without a pocket of coin, so excuse me for trying to look after myself.”

“That’s a handy way to contextualize greed.”

“Call it what you like. At least I don’t live my life chasing after some fantasy.”

“By the by, Tora.” Gramps interjected, cutting them both off. “This Blade… As far as I can see, it looks complete. What is there left to do?”

“Mehehehe!” Tora smiled. “All Tora have left to do is buy missing parts! Sadly, Tora have no money at all.”

“Oh?” Rex asked, taken aback. “Really?”

“Really.” Tora nodded solemnly.

“Nothing? At all?”

“Not even one gold…” Tora sighed.

“A Nopon with no gold.” Rex chuckled. “You keep getting stranger, you know that? So, what, are you asking for a loan, then? I thought you weren’t interested in money.”

“Normally, Tora would never ask friends for money. But, since Artificial Blade could be big help on mission, Tora thought friends might be willing to spare a… generous donation?”

“There it is.” Rex said, throwing his hands up. “I knew there was some Nopon attitude in you.”

“Always shrewd when it comes to gold.” Gramps nodded.

“I’d love the extra firepower on our side.” Rex continued. “So how much do you need, exactly?”

“Oh…” Tora thought for a moment. “No more than 60,000 gold…?”

“Sixty thousand?!” Rex jumped back. “D’you want a kidney as well?”

“Calm down, Rex.” Pyra said. “I think we owe Tora our help.”

“Calm down?” Rex replied. “I don’t have that kind of cash on me! Most of the rest of my cash is still in that alleyway! How do you expect me to pay for this?”

“If it’s just money he needs, I may be able to assist.” Pyra reached up and detached one of her green crystal earrings. She held it out for Rex to inspect. “This is a natural crystal. It should fetch more than 60,000.”

“No way!” Rex shook his head, pushing Pyra’s hand back. “Too risky. The Ardainians are looking for us by now, and they know you’ve got a green Core Crystal. Selling any kind of green crystal at this point is practically begging them to arrest us.”

“It’s a risk we’ll have to take.” Pyra insisted, shoving the crystal back in Rex’s face. “Nia and Dromarch can’t wait much longer.”

“I won’t allow it.” Rex picked the earring out of her hand. He walked up beside her and reattached it to her ear. “It’ll look better on you than someone else anyway.”

“Wow, Rex…” Pyra stared at him for a moment. “That’s actually… Thank you, I guess.”

“Besides, I can’t waste my client’s money.” Rex continued, stepping back from Pyra. “I’ve got my reputation to uphold.”

“And there it is.” Pyra sighed. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”

“I was making a joke.” Rex replied. He turned to Tora. “So, what do you need, exactly? I could try salvaging for them if there are any wrecks nearby.”

“Rex-Rex is welcome to try.” Tora said. He grabbed a blueprint from his workbench and studied it for a moment. “Let’s see, if Rex-Rex can salvage three Bion connectors, Tora could probably finish Blade with parts on hand.”

“Bion connectors?” Rex asked. “I’m not familiar. What do you need them for?”

“Connectors needed to carry ether from furnace to Blade’s memory processor.” Tora tapped the side of the Artificial Blade’s head. “Need to be sturdy too, or else connection will fail and Artificial Blade won’t start.”

“You need ether connectors?” Rex said, slinging his belt off and rummaging around through the pockets. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” He dug around his belt’s various pockets for a moment before producing several black tubes. “These’re probably a bit larger than you wanted, but they should get the job done.”

“What are those?” Pyra asked as Tora picked up the tubes with his wings and began studying them.

“When I first became a salvager, my first diving suit was junk.” Rex replied. “It broke down constantly, so I was constantly salvaging parts from wrecks to perform repairs. Those used to carry the compressed air ether in my cylinder to the filter in my mask that’d convert it into breathable air. Pulled them off an ancient Indoline warship two years ago. They should still be in good enough condition.”

“These will do!” Tora announced. “With some modification. Should be able to finish Artificial Blade tonight!” Tora ran back into his workspace and drew a curtain hanging down from the loft around the entire space. “No distractions until then!”

-

Rex, Pyra, and Gramps waited while Tora worked on the Artificial Blade. They couldn’t see what exactly he was doing, but the sound of clanging and hissing coming from behind the curtain indicated he was in a fervor. By the time Tora threw open the curtain, drenched in sweat, the sun had already set, and a storm had gathered above Torigoth, occasionally flashing lightning past the window in the hallway.

“OK!” Tora panted. “All finished!”

“Really?” Rex yawned, standing up from where he had stretched out across the table. He stretched his limbs for a moment before continuing. “It’s really complete?”

“Very complete!” Tora nodded. “Just need to apply energy charge to activate!” He walked over to a panel with a switch near where the Artificial Blade hung.

“Tora, our friends’ execution drawn near.” Gramps said as Rex and Pyra gathered behind Tora. “There’s no time to lose. Make haste!”

“I know, I know!” Tora gripped the top of the switch with his wing. “Okay Artificial Blade, it’s wakey-wakey time!”

“That won’t do, Tora.” Pyra interrupted just before he flipped the switch down.

“W-what Tora do wrong?” He asked, letting go of the switch and turning around.

“You can’t keep calling her “Artificial Blade”! As her creator, the least you can do is give her a proper name.”

“Oh, um, well…” Tora glanced down for a moment. “Actually, friends, Tora did think of name for her. Very good name.”

“Nice.” Rex nodded. “Then I guess there’s no problem.”

“Well, why don’t you introduce us, Tora?” Gramps asked.

“Right away!” Tora said, turning back to the switch. “Now, wakey-wakey! Tora’s very own Blade! Poppi Alpha!” He flipped the switch. At that exact moment, lightning struck the top of the warehouse. Sparks of electricity flew through Tora’s equipment and the pipes began venting steam. Something within Poppi began whirring, and her ether furnace powered to life.

“P-Poppi?” Tora asked. Both Rex and Pyra began to sweat in anticipation. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open. They were mechanical, like the rest of her. The irises were orange.

“Greeting, Masterpon.” She said, looking around the room. Her voice was stilted, and she spoke in a distinctly Nopon dialect. “My name Poppi. Poppi try hard to make Masterpon proud.” She gave a slight bow before returning to standing with her arms locked in place.

“I…I did it!” Tora shouted, jumping into the air. He turned around and motioned toward Poppi. “Tora’s masterpiece! World’s first Artificial Blade! Poppi!”

“Incredible!” Pyra shouted. Both her and Rex were smiling from ear to ear.

“That is really quite something.” Gramps said, leaning out of Rex’s helmet to get a better view.

“Tora did good, huh?” Tora said, swaggering back and forth. “You impressed? Tora is a very big success?!”

“Absolutely!” Rex shouted. “You’re amazing, Tora! Now let’s go get Nia and Dromarch and get the hell out of here!”

-

Across the port, Consul Dughall stood in his office and fumed. He paced around in front of his desk for a minute before stopping and punching it.

“That shrew thinks she owns the place, just because she curries favor with the Emperor.” He said aloud, through gritted teeth. “If only I’d got the Aegis myself…” He sighed. “I could have returned home in triumph. Or sold her to Bana for a tidy sum.” He shook his head. “But it’s not over. I refuse to let this place be the end of me! I will not be left to rot in this flea-bitten backwater!” He leaned down and switched on the communication screen on his desk.

“Captain Padraig!” He shouted into the microphone. After a moment, the captain’s masked face appeared on the screen.

“Yessir?” Captain Padraig asked, standing at attention.

“Double the number of guardsmen! Round up whoever you can find! We’re going to find that Aegis before Mòrag gets her pawn on her.”

“Sir!” Captian Padraig saluted. “As you wish, sir!” Consul Dughall switched off the screen, ending the call.

“Watch and learn, Mòrag Ladair.” He crossed his arms and smirked After a moment, the Consul left his office, walking toward the garrison. Outside the window, a heavyset Urayan man with an x-shaped scar on his forehead listened to the Consul’s every word. He too betrayed a small smirk and turned to follow.

-

Tora led Pyra, Rex, and Poppi through the streets of Torigoth under the cover of the storm. With Pyra wearing her cloak, they didn’t catch much attention as they crossed through the port and into the farms between the garrison and the city proper. It didn’t take them long to come to the wall underneath which was the root of the Grandarbor they planned to use to sneak aboard.

“There is Titan warship!” Tora shouted. His voice was muffled by the storm.

“Quite the impressive Titan.” Gramps mused. “Another sign that Mor Ardain is readying once more for war with Uraya.”

“I’d wager there’re some parts on that ship I dug up myself.” Rex said, studying the hull.

“I bet you don’t feel so good being on the other side of war profiteering for once.” Pyra remarked.

“It is what it is.” He shrugged. “If there was a faster way to make money, I would’ve taken it. But Corinne needed the cash. Not like I had much of a choice.”

“I highly doubt that.” Pyra said, crossing her arms.

“Let’s just get on with this, already.” Rex groaned. He leaned over the wall. “Look.” He said, pointing toward a massive root, several storied down, that had wormed its way out of Gormott’s side. “That root goes right to the ship, just like Pyra said. We should be able to climb down over…” He traced the path of the root until it sloped up to meet the edge of the cliff. “Here!” He pointed toward a spot where the root came close enough to the cliff to climb to. “Let’s go.”

“Off we go!” Tora shouted, running ahead.

“Understood.” Poppi nodded, taking off after her Driver. Rex and Pyra followed behind them. After a few minutes, they managed to scramble down the Grandarbor’s roots all the way to the edge near the Titan Battleship. Unfortunately, they were still a ways away from the exhaust port, a rectangular hole in the side of the ship above them.

“Looks pretty high.” Rex whistled, looking at the large gap between the root and the entrance. “Gimme a moment.” He raised his grappling hook and shot it into the roof of the cargo entrance. It spindled out of the reel until it anchored itself in, then he flipped a switch and pulled himself up, flipping into the entrance and detaching his line.

“Pyra, you first!” He shouted, lowering the grappling hook down as a makeshift rope. “I’ll pull you up, so hold tight!”

Reluctantly, she put her heels into the grooves of the hook and grabbed onto the wire. As soon as she did, her weight almost dragged Rex over the edge. He took a moment to steady himself and tried to pull on the wire, but he couldn’t lift it much.

“Damn…” He said, in between grunts as he tried to pull Pyra up. “So… heavy…”

“What did you say?” Pyra gasped, stepping off the hook. Instantly it recoiled, snapping back up to Rex and knocking him off his feet.

“Now look here Rex.” Gramps said, wagging his finger as he floated in the air in front of Rex. “You can’t just go and call a lady heavy.”

“Ooh, Rex-Rex a little tactless…” Tora chuckled.

“It’s not my fault!” Rex shouted as he stood to his feet. “You could stand to lose some weight, Pyra.”

“Maybe you should just grow some muscle!” She shouted back up, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Jerk!”

“She heavier than Tora for sure!” Tora continued. “But that just mean Pyra grown to impressive height!” Behind them, Poppi clicked her heels together and activated something on her feet that began spewing out smoke. “It is good thing! Pyra should be proud!” Just then, Poppi rocketed into the air, generating lift from rockets on her feet and landing in the exhaust port with a spin.

“Poppi pull Pyra up.” Poppi said, straightening herself back up. “Please grab again.” Poppi took Rex’s hand and lowered the grappling hook back down to Pyra. She stepped back on it and Poppi pulled her up with ease.

“Nice one Poppi.” Rex said as Pyra stepped onto the battleship. She was red in the face, and intentionally avoided Rex’s gaze.

“Poppi Artificial Blade.” Poppi replied. “This is no problem. Poppi could lift Gonzalez if necessary.” She lowered the grappling hook again so Tora could grab on.

“Let’s just get going.” Pyra said, wiping her eyes. “We don’t have much time until sunrise.”

-

Once Tora was up, the group began sneaking through the Titan Battleship. Most of the crew was asleep, but they did have to avoid the occasional patrol. They wandered up from the exhaust system and through the lower decks of the ship until Poppi abruptly stopped in a hallway full of locked doors.

“Masterpon,” She began, turning to face the group from her position in the lead, “Poppi can feel there is a Blade in the vicinity.”

“But how can Poppi tell that?” Tora asked.

“Unclear.” She shook her head. “Poppi…feel…other Blade like wave in air.”

“That’d be its ether resonance.” Pyra said. “I can feel one too. Perhaps your ether furnace can sense ether waves the same way a Core Crystal can.”

“It possible.” Tora remarked. “Grampypon SooSoo designed ether furnace. Many functions still a mystery to Tora.”

“If you’re sensing a Blade, it could be Dromarch.” Rex said. “Maybe he’s nearby.”

“Let’s try opening up some of these doors!” Pyra suggested.

-

Dromarch lay in a cubic metal room just barely longer than he was from snout to tail. He was wide awake, staring at the door with a knitted brow. Suddenly, he heard a clanging sound coming from the other side and began growling. He stood up and tensed himself, preparing for anything. The center of the door began glowing red hot. It bulged inward, glowing brighter and expanding under intense heat. Dromarch flattened himself against the floor as a blast of flame tore through the door, cutting a roughly circular hole in the metal. Pyra and Rex stood on the other side.

“I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?” Pyra asked as the metal began to cool.

“Everyone check your eyebrows.” Rex responded, rolling his eyes.

“I’m sorry! It’s hard to judge the power sometimes.” Pyra said as the two of them got closer to the newly created entrance.

“Pyra!” Dromarch shouted, pulling himself up off the floor. “Rex!”

“Dromarch!” Gramps replied. “It’s good to see you alive!”

“It very good!” Tora shouted, putting his face in front of Pyra and staring at Dromarch.

“See Masterpon?” Poppi said, popping up next to him and crowding Rex out. “There was a Blade here.”

“Mater Titan, and…” Dromarch looked between the two newcomers for a moment. “Forgive me, but who are they?”

“New arrivals.” Rex responded, moving Poppi and Tora to either side of the door. He stuck his sword into the top of the door, melting it with the flames on the edge before slashing downward and cutting the door clean in half. The group took a step back as the door fell apart and Dromarch walked out of the cell. “This is Tora and Poppi. They helped us find you.”

“I am in your debt.” Dromarch gave as much of a bow as he could, being a tiger.

“We don’t have much time.” Rex continued. “Do you know where Nia is?”

“But of course.” Dromarch nodded. “We are in resonance, after all. I feel her presence.”

“Lead the way, then.” Pyra said. “We’re not letting her get executed!”

“Indeed.” Dromarch smiled. He closed his eyes for a moment before taking off down one of the corridors. “This way!”

-

Nia found herself in a situation much the same as Dromarch. She sat in a bare metal room, hands on her knees, and stared at the door. She’s been in a similar room once before. The memories drifted through her head as time passed. The last time she was like this, it was Jin who had opened the door to her cell and freed her. He’d held out his hand, promising her a place to belong. She took it without hesitation, back then.

In the present, though, she didn’t have a savior. She simply sat, waiting for whatever end was coming. Until she heard combat outside her door. It didn’t last long. After a moment, the chaos died down and the door began to swing open.

“Jin?” She asked, her ears perking up.

“You alright, Nia?!” Rex asked, throwing the door open and rushing into the room. Instantly, her face brightened, and she jumped up off the floor.

“Rex, you…” She began but couldn’t find the words.

“My lady.” Dromarch said, walking into the room behind Rex. “Apologies for my late arrival.” He bowed again.

“Don’t mention it.” She said, patting him on the head. “I didn’t think anyone was coming at all.” She turned back to Rex. “I thought you’d be on your way to Elysium by now.”

“As if we’d leave you!” Rex said, unclipping her rings from his belt and tossing them to her. ““Always repay your debts.” That’s the second rule of the Salvager’s Code.” He offered her a hand.

“You don’t owe me anything, though.” Nia replied, taking his hand and pulling herself up. “In fact, I distinctly remember telling you to leave me behind.”

“What’s a little favor among friends, eh?” Rex said, patting her on the shoulder. “Besides, Pyra insisted we come rescue you. And well…” He tapped the Core Crystal on his chest. “I can’t exactly refuse.”

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted from the hallway. “Tora found escape route! Hurry Hurry!”

“A Nopon?” Nia asked.

“He has been of some assistance.” Dromarch commented.

“We made some new friends.” Rex said.

“Uh, well, nice to meet ya.” Nia smiled as she stepped out into the hallway and over the unconscious bodies of two Ardainian soldiers. Pyra, Poppi, and Gramps stood next to Tora, waiting.

“I think we’ve overstayed our welcome here.” Gramps said, fluttering back into Rex’s helmet. “Time to get moving!”

-

The group took off through the hallways of the Titan once again, managing to sneak all the way from the prison to the cargo hold without tripping any alarms or running too close to any guards, save for the two outside Nia’s cell. As they reached the cargo hold, they came upon the Titan Battleship’s primary exit. Though the door was sealed shut, the fait rays of the light of dawn could be seen streaming underneath.

“Not much further to exit!” Tora shouted as the group crossed the hold. As they moved, the cargo doors opened, and Consul Dughall walked through, trailed by a towering Blade twice the size of a normal human and made almost entirely of interlocking golden armor. It had proportionally massive hands and tiny feet, a rounded, almost circular body, spike-covered arcs jetting from its shoulder joints, and a large red plume coming out of the top of its head. In its hand, it wielded a large spiked hammer.

“Not so fast, my dear intruders.” Dughall said as he entered the cargo hold. “Letting a terrorist from Torna out of my grasp would make me look very bad indeed. And that emerald Core Crystal! You must be the Aegis! Much as it pains me to admit it, it seems Mòrag was right on the money.”

“You know who Pyra is?” Rex asked. “Are you trying to capture her too, you ratbag?”

“I don’t want to hear that kind of insult from one of Bana’s errand boys.” Dughall laughed. “But of course, you’re right on all other accounts. The most powerful Blade in all of history, with the power to rend Alrest asunder?” Dughall swaggered, taking a step forward. “Only a fool would know of that power and not seek to claim it! And I am no fool! Therefore, I will claim her as my own! You cannot argue with such logic!”

“Flaw detected in Final step of Logic.” Poppi said. Dughall frowned.

“Sorry, pal.” Nia smirked, taking step forward and standing shoulder to shoulder with Rex. “But you’ve done all the capturing you’re gonna do today.”

“Such impertinence for a dirty terrorist.” Dughall spat.

“That’s enough!” Rex shouted, swinging his sword upward and sending out a wave of ether energy. Dughall’s Blade stepped forward and blocked the attack with its body, not even having the time to put up an ether shield. Nia jumped into the air, attempting to get around the Blade and slash as Dughall directly. The Blade snapped out its hand and caught her strike. Her ring sank into its hand but didn’t cut clean through. It grabbed her arm before she could get back and slammed her into the ground. She managed to hold it back from crushing her head, but it took a step forward and pinned her other arm.

“Making your Blade do all the dirty work?” Rex asked. “No wonder Mor Ardain needs new Drivers. All their current ones are too scared to fight.” As he spoke, he circled around to get a better shot at Dughall. The Blade automatically moved, dragging Nia across the ground and putting itself between Dughall and Rex.

“Does common sense elude you?” Dughall asked. “A Blade can regenerate from any injury! Whereas if I die, Dolmes here will simply return to a useless core!”

“Bastard!” Nia shouted. “Ardainian weasel! Even if they can regenerate, that doesn’t mean Blades don’t feel pain!”

“How cute!” Dughall laughed. “The fleabag thinks we should care about Blades’ feelings.” He continued to laugh, almost doubling over. “I wonder if you can feel pain, Gormotti scum. Dolmes, kill her.”

The Blade grunted a reply and reached for her head. Dromarch roared, unleashing a sonic blast that knocked the Blade back. Nia immediately brought her feet up and used them to push Dolmes’s hand off herself. It took another swing at her, and she rolled to the side. She sprung up and leapt at Dughall.

“Defense!” The Consul shouted, stumbling back. Domles threw itself in front of Nia and swung at her with its hammer. Poppi shot forward and grabbed the hammer, stopping it inches from Nia’s head. She tried to duck under Dolmes’s legs, but it kicked her back and sent her tumbling across the ground. Poppi tried to pull the hammer from its hands, but an explosion fired from the head and blasted Poppi back. Rex leapt at it before it could go after Nia again.

“Your Driver’s a real piece of work.” He said, sword straining against the hammer. “Why put up with this kind of abuse.”

Dolmes didn’t reply.

“There’s no choice in it, really.” Nia said, motioning at Dromarch from behind her back. “A Driver’s orders are absolute. Some Blades are more pliable than others, some Blades won’t obey unless you’re explicit about it, but that fact doesn’t change. Even if the Driver’s an arsehole like this.”

“I bet that’d come in real handy.” Rex chuckled.

“Don’t get any ideas.” Pyra said, frowning. “I’m an Aegis.”

“I know, I know.” Rex sighed. “Normal rules don’t apply.” Gramps moved to smack him again. Dolmes did it before he could, backhanding Rex into the ground.

“Now!” Nia shouted, lunging for Dolmes’s legs. She drove her ring into one of its kneecaps. Dromarch leapt at it and grabbed onto its face. It tried to swing its hammer down on Nia, but Poppi shot up and grabbed it again, this time straining to lift it toward the ceiling. Just as Nia rolled underneath the Blade, a biter fired out of a hole on Tora’s shield, striking Dolmes in the chest. It stumbled, and Nia jumped aside just as it came crashing down. Dromarch scrambled to take out its other knee before it could get back up.

“You useless clod!” Dughall spat. He drew a sword from his belt. “Forget it. I’ll take care of this scum myself!”

“Now that’s not very nice!” Another man shouted from behind Dughall. Before anyone in the hold could move, a hand-scythe flew from behind and slashed through Dughall’s ankles. As the consul fell, the man who was speaking came into view. He was an Urayan man with broad shoulders, think limbs, dark skin, and a silver pompadour. His body was covered in scars, particularly a large x-shaped one in the middle of his face. His temples were covered with small rock plating typical of an Urayan, and his ears were long and pointed. He wore thick green leather armor covered in straps and pouches, and with his outstretched hand caught the incoming hand-scythe as it returned to him.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dughall shouted through gritted teeth as he tried to crawl over to the still immobile Dolmes.

“You know full well what you did.” The Urayan man said as he walked up to Dughall. He slammed a scythe into Dolmes’s shoulder, pinning it to the ground, and held the other against Dughall’s chin. “And so does Indol.”

“This is about the Core Crystals, isn’t it?” Dughall asked. “Listen, I don’t know what Indol’s paying you, but whatever it is I’ll double it. Triple it, even. Just let me go unharmed.”

“Afraid I can’t do that.” The Urayan shook his head. “I’ve a reputation to uphold. And Indol won’t just sit on their hands. It’s over.” He raised his scythe above Dughall’s head. Just before he brought it down, Rex rushed forward and blocked the strike, barely holding the scythe back with the edge of his Aegis Sword.

“You’d save his life?” The man asked. “A moment ago he wanted you dead, from the looks of things.”

“Pyra’s not a fan of senseless killing.” Rex spat back. “She’s be upset with me if I didn’t do anything.”

“Pyra…” The man said. “You mean your Blade?” He turned to look at Pyra, who stood back, hands held against her chest. “An emerald Core Crystal. So, the rumors are true!” The man began to laugh and retracted his scythe from Dughall’s neck.

“Rumors?” Rex asked, keeping his sword trained on the man. “What rumors?”

“The tale that every Driver worth his salt knows.” The man replied, crossing his arms. “The legendary Aegis. Folks around town been saying she just woke up from a 500 year nap. Wouldn’t have thought she’s show up with a pencil-neck shrimp like you for a Driver, though.”

“You think I don’t have what it takes?”

“Nah.” The man waved his hand dismissively. “That’s not it. I mean, maybe you could handle a normal Blade. But a greenhorn like you with a beaut like her? Don’t kid yourself. C’mon boy.” The man unfolded us arms. “Hand her over to a grown-up.”

“This is starting to get old.” Rex sighed. “Leave her alone!”

“Y’got heart, kid. I like that.” The man laughed. “So I’m gonna squash you myself before taking care of this one.” He kicked Dughall in the head, knocking him unconscious. With the next motion he ripped the scythe from Dolmes’s shoulder and swung it at Rex. Instantly, a red-and-orange-feathered humanoid Blade rushed forward from the exit to the cargo hold, powering up the man’s weapons. It began flapping its wings as it hovered above the Urayan man, creating a vortex around him, Rex, and Pyra.

Rex ducked under the strike and slashed at the man. The man blocked the strike with one of his scythes and swung upward with the other, almost catching Rex on the chin. Rex jumped backward, just barely avoiding the attack, and sent a wave of fire ether directly at the man’s face. The man ducked under it with ease and unleashed a wave of wind ether at Rex. Rex dispersed it with his sword, and barely managed to catch another downward scythe strike with the same motion. Their weapons collided off one another, sending Rex stumbling back.

“What’s the matter?” The man asked. “Are you the Aegis Driver, or aren’t you?” He raised his scythes to strike Rex again, but Pyra jumped in the way, blocking his attack with an ether shield. They locked eyes for a moment, and he diverted his gaze. He pushed back off the ether shield, and Pyra jumped back behind Rex.

“That all you got, mate?” The man asked. “Pathetic.” He raised his hand and beckoned Rex to attack him.

“You wanna see the power of the Aegis?” Rex asked, raising his sword into the air. Flame ether began flowing across his entire body. “Well then we’ll show you!” He brought his sword down and sendt a column of flame across the ground toward the man. He simply stepped to the side, dodging it without much trouble.

“He dodged?!” Rex shouted.

“Course I did, kid.” The man chuckled. “Any slower, you’d bore me to death.”

“How about this then?” Rex sent forth a barrage of flames, one torrent after another. The man dodged and weaved through them all, gradually backing toward the vortex’s wall.

“Rex, wait!” Pyra shouted. “I can’t supply power this fast!” The ether streaming from her hand began to fluctuate.

“Nowhere left to run!” Rex said, leveling his sword at the man as his back hit the edge of the vortex. “Eat this!” Rex raised his sword for one last attack. The man smirked. Just before Rex let out his attack, the sword overloaded with ether energy, sending out flames in all directions before shutting down.

“Playtime’s over.” The man said, spinning his scythes in his hand as Rex looked up at his malfunctioning blade. “Take this!” He rushed forward, slashing his scythe at Rex’s neck. He caught himself just before he sliced Rex’s head off, and the vortex instantly dispersed. Rex opened his eyes and stared down at the blade inches from his throat. Nia and Tora rushed forward, weapons drawn, but ground to a halt when they saw Rex was completely fine.

“If you’re a Driver, you’re a new one for sure!” The man laughed and bent down next to Rex. “Drivers, see.” The man began to explain, not taking his scythe from Rex’s throat. “We borrow our Blades’ energy, channel it into our weapons, and let rip with an Art!” He pulled his scythe back from Rex’s neck. “But you gotta be careful – there’s a limit to it. If you go in all bull-headed like that, kid, even that Aegis of your is gonna run out of energy before long.” He motioned to where Pyra was on the ground. She had collapsed onto all fours and was out of breath.

“W-what?” Rex stammered, staring between the man, his Blade, and Pyra. After a moment, he shook himself out of his stupor and ran to help Pyra up.

“The name’s Vandham.” The man said, sheathing his scythes. “And this here’s Roc, my Blade.” He motioned to the humanoid bird circling them overhead. “I run a mercenary firm in Uraya.”

“So… You’re not trying to kill us?” Nia asked, hesitantly sheathing her twin rings.

“Naw.” Vandham waved his hand at Nia. “I just wanted to see what kinda stuff the Aegis’s Driver was made of. I must say, you’ve got a lot to learn, and that attitude of yours could use some adjustment.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Rex replied, helping Pyra steady herself.

“Your heart seems to be in the right place, though.” Vandham continued. “Make sure you take good care of her, you hear?”

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to respond to that, exactly.” Rex said. “I mean, I’m still not entirely sure what just happened.”

“You’ll get over it.” Vandham smiled. “How ‘bout you, Dolmes? You good to go?”

Dolmes grunted, pulling itself up off the ground. Rex reached for his sword again, but Dolmes lumbered over to Dughall instead. It stared down at him for a moment before swinging its hammer. Dughall’s body was incinerated in one swift explosion.

“Thank you.” It muttered, looking up at Vandham. Its voice was gravely. After a moment, it disintegrated into a shower of blue ether motes. Its darkened Core Crystal fell to the ground in its place.

“What the hell did I just watch?” Rex asked.

“Dolmes was my real client.” Vandham sighed. “I’ve no idea how the poor thing managed to work around that bastard’s orders enough to contact me, but he’d been abusing it for quite a while. It wasn’t even allowed to talk, most of the time. The plan was to force him to rescind his orders so Dolmes could get even, but I guess Dughall took care of that himself a minute ago.”

“_Forget it_…” Dromarch mused on Dughall’s words. “A Blade’s orders are a fickle thing.”

“Serves him right.” Nia spat. “No one should treat their Blade like that.”

“Tora not sure what to feel about this…” Tora said.

“He deserved it.” Vandham said, bending down to pick up Dolmes’s Core Crystal. “Trust me on that one.”

“What’re you going to do with that?” Rex asked.

“The next part of the job’s finding a good home for Dolmes here. Something outside the Ardainian Military.”

“Maybe we could team up.” Nia suggested. “We’re fugitives, and you just helped kill an Ardainian official. I’m sure we both need to get out of here.”

“Team up?” Vandham asked. “With a buncha amateurs like you? I don’t think so. Maybe when you’ve got a little more muscle on you, then I’ll think about letting you into my crew, but until then? You’re on your own.” He began walking toward the exit. Once he was on the bridge, he turned around and waved to the group. “See you around, kids!” He jumped off the side. Instantly Roc swooped underneath him. He caught Vandham by the shoulder and carried him over the walls of the garrison.

“Well that was… something.” Rex said. He took another glance at Dughall’s body before shaking his head. “None of our business. We’ve stopped Nia’s execution, that’s the important thing.”

“What?” Nia asked. “They were shipping me back to Mor Ardain for a trial. What’s this about an execution?”

“That what Tora hear from soldiers.” Tora said, flapping his arms around. “Tora not lying, honest. Tora would never lie to friends.”

“It’s not your fault, Tora.” Rex said. “This was probably this prick’s plan from the start. Lure us here with the news of the execution so he could catch us all in one place. Didn’t work out so well for him, though, did it?”

“Rex-Rex, if really was trap, we should escape!” Tora shouted, beckoning the rest of the ground toward the exit.

“Masterpon is right.” Poppi nodded. “Chance of reinforcements very high.”

“Let us make haste.” Gramps said. “That Vandham fellow had the right idea. Getting out of town would be a good start.”

Rex nodded, and the group ran past Dughall’s body and out the cargo hold’s exit. They sprinted across the bridge to the garrison. They tore through the empty parade grounds as the morning sun crested the horizon. And they had almost made it out of the garrison entirely when a wall of blue flames erupted between them and the gate.

“These flames again!” Pyra shouted as the group ground to a halt.

“It’s her.” Nia said, gritting her teeth and drawing her twin rings. The rest of the group quickly drew their weapons as Mòrag and Brighid walked through the flames. “And with her Driver too, this time.”

“That’s Mòrag, the Flamebringer!” Dromarch exclaimed.

“Mòrag?” Rex asked.

“Special Inquisitor Mòrag.” Dromarch explained. “Right hand of the Emperor. The most powerful Driver in the Empire and wielder of Brighid, the most powerful Blade.”

“It looks like they were waiting for us.” Pyra said.

“Yes indeed.” Gramps sighed. “I did feel like we got away a little too easily.”

“I don’t know why I expected Dughall to slow you down at all.” Mòrag said, drawing her whipswords and walking toward the group.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Nia asked, baring her fangs with a snarl. “You’re the one who spread the rumor that I was going to be executed, just to lure Rex and the others here!”

“You catch on quickly.” Mòrag smiled. “Yes, you certainly proved useful. However…”

“Rex and Pyra were your real target.”

“Not quite.” Mòrag chuckled. “Thought at least I finally have their names. The emerald Core Crystal is the sign of the Aegis. If that Blade is indeed the Aegis, then I can’t let you leave with her.”

“That sounds ominous.” Rex said. “What happened to taking us in alive?”

“I only want the Aegis.” Mòrag responded. “If you don’t resist, I will not harm you. But, the power to sunder Alrest itself, in the hands of a mere child? Letting you go would be tantamount to letting it happen again!”

“Again?” Rex scoffed. “Don’t be stupid! Pyra hates to see anybody get hurt, even the ones trying to get at her. There’s no way she’d destroy the world. You’re off your rocker.”

“You mean you didn’t know?” Mòrag asked. “Five hundred years ago, during the Aegis War, that Blade sank three continents.”

“Three Titans… Destroyed?” Rex muttered.

“I speak naught but historical fact.” Mòrag said. Rex turned to Pyra, his eyes wide with shock for a moment. She averted her gaze immediately.

“Well.” Rex chuckled and smiled at Pyra. “You never told me you were such a badass. Though I guess I never asked.” He turned back to Mòrag. “I don’t know who you think you’re fooling, but I’ve worked with Mor Ardain before. You just want to use Pyra to beat Uraya into submission, don’t you?”

“I would never dream of such a thing.” Mòrag said. “His Majesty wishes the treaty upheld. To go against his will would be unthinkable!”

“But if he asked, you do it?”

“You insult His Majesty’s intelligence, boy! The Aegis is too powerful to use without an absolute guarantee we can control her. As it stands, she poses an active threat to Mor Ardain’s safety. She must be eliminated!”

“Like you ‘eliminated’ White Chair?” Nia asked. Mòrag flinched for a moment.

“If necessary.” She growled.

“Not gonna happen.” Rex said. “I sort of need her to stay alive.”

“Then I will have to restrain you and take the Aegis by force!” Mòrag shouted, slashing her swords downward and converting them into flaming whips.

“You can try.” Nia smirked. “But we’re more stubborn than you think.”

“I’ll make this nice and clear.” Rex slashing his own sword, lighting the blade on fire. “You. Will. Never! Take Her!” He held the sword in both hands and dropped into a fighting stance. Nia and Tora did the same, the front of Tora’s shield opening and revealing a large drill. Pyra smiled at Rex for a moment before turning to face Mòrag and Brighid.

“Very well.” Mòrag smiled in return. “Then let’s see if you have the strength to back up those words, boy!” Mòrag swept her whips forward, sending a wave of fire cascading toward Rex and the others. Rex stuck his sword into the ground and blocked the incoming flames with his own, while Tora and Poppi hid behind their shield and took the hit. Nia, meanwhile, jumped over the fire, rolled across the round, sprung back up, and slammed one of her twin rings down on top of Mòrag’s head. She pulled her whips back into swords as Nia descended and caught the strike in by crossing her swords in front of her face.

Nia dropped to the ground, keeping her ring pressed against Mòrag’s blades, and tried to slice Mòrag’s gut open with her free ring. Brighid rushed forward and caught the ring inches from Mòrag’s stomach. Her hand began to heat up, heating the ring up with it. Nia didn’t seem bothered, though. She simply wrenched that hand downward, pulling Brighid with the ring toward the ground. She then kicked off Brighid’s head and slid forward the ring that was caught between Mòrag’s swords. In one fluid motion, it popped free of the groove it was caught in and sliced downward, clean through Mòrag’s visor and the bridge of her nose. Mòrag ignored the wound and slashing her swords forward. They caught Nia in the chest, just below her armpit, and sent her flying backward. Her clothing was singed, but otherwise she remained unharmed.

“Interesting.” Mòrag muttered, returning her swords to whips as Brighid and Nia both stood to their feet. Before Mòrag took even one step forward, Tora and Rex both rushed at her from either side of Nia. Both Tora’s drill shield and Rex’s sword collided against an ether barrier Brighid managed to throw up at the last second, deflecting the attacks. As the barrier broke outward, throwing her opponents back, Mòrag cracked a whip at each of them. Rex managed to parry the strike as he came to a halt while Tora rolled to the side and dodged the hit. He jumped forward again, striking at Mòrag with his drill. She slashed the whip on that side of her body back into a sword and held it out against the attack while tossing the other to Brighid, who immediately engaged against Rex. As the tips of the drill and sword collided, Tora was thrown to the side. Immediately he tucked into a roll and landed on his feet, slamming his shield in front of him.

“Bully lady will not touch friends!” Tora shouted. The drill retracted back into the shield, and in its place shot forth one of Tora’s Boom Biters. As it sailed toward Mòrag, she slashed her sword down, slicing it in half and sending each part spiraling to either side of her. They each exploded harmlessly on the ground behind her.

Rex and Brighid, meanwhile, traded sword blows as Brighid forced him and Pyra back toward Nia and Dromarch. Rex jumped back, narrowly avoiding a hit from the whip, and unleashed a wave of flames at Brighid. She attacked through it, the wave pushing her back slightly and landing her next to Mòrag. Mòrag tossed Brighid her one sword and jumped back. Brighid slammed them both into the ground, sending up a shockwave of ether flames that enveloped most of the parade grounds. Nia, who was still recovering from her hit, was thrown off her feet and rolled into Dromarch, knocking him back into a building. Tora flew through the air until Poppi caught him, but she didn’t manage to orient herself correctly before she slammed head first into the ground. Rex planted his sword in the ground as the flames rushed around him, skidding back and grabbing Pyra as she lost her balance. Rex carved a wound in the ground almost from the gate all the way back to the bridge to the Titan Battleship.

As Rex came to a halt, he pulled his sword out of the ground and let Pyra down to her feet. Immediately, however, Mòrag jumped through the flames between them, her swords returned to her and reared back for a spinning strike. Rex brought up his sword to block the attack, but only had one hand on the handle. As it connected, he was thrown off balance and Pyra was thrown to the ground.

“Pyra!” He shouted, looking back to her for a moment. Mòrag didn’t give him the time. She continued to slash at him after she landed, and Rex barely managed to grab back onto his sword again before she broke through his guard. He tried to recover and return an attack, but she moved too fast. He slashed at her horizontally, and she jumped over the strike. His attack went wide, and as he brought his sword back in front of him she managed to get a strike in, cutting his right arm forearm from his elbow to his wrist. Immediately the arm caught fire as well, and Rex fell backward, barely managing to plant his feet through the pain. Pyra clutched her right arm as well, screaming out in pain as the flames burned Rex’s.

“Stubborn child.” Mòrag spat as Rex patted down the flames on his arm and raised his sword again. “Why don’t you just give it up?” She stepped forward and slashed him across the chest, catching her blade on one of the metal fasteners of his diving suit. Pyra and Rex were both thrown in the same direction by the attack. Rex stood, gritting his teeth through the pain and screaming at the top of his lungs. He rushed forward again and unleashed another volley of strikes against Mòrag. She blocked them deftly and flipped into the air, landing on her feet back in front of the wall of flames she had created earlier.

“Can’t afford to.” Rex grunted, staggering to his feet and holding his sword in one hand. “Pyra’s got somewhere she needs to be.” He reached out his hand toward Pyra as she recovered. He flashed her a smile, still fighting through the pain to stay on his feet. She took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. “And I’m going to take her there!” He raised his sword into the air and shot forth a column of fire straight at Mòrag. She didn’t make any attempt to dodge. Instead, she simply extended her sword and met the attack head on, parting the flames like a boulder would a river and sending them cascading around her. They rushed through the wall of fire by the gate, severely diminishing its strength, but otherwise Mòrag was undeterred.

“This is getting tiresome.” She sighed as Rex continued to pour flames from the edge of his sword. “The power of the Aegis is formidable, but the Driver’s skill betrays her.” She slashed her sword to the side, and another wall of fire erupted in front of her, blocking Rex’s attack.

“Stay vigilant, Mòrag.” Brighid said, walking up to her Driver from behind as Rex’s attack subsided. “An unknown power lurks within this foe.”

“But of course.” Mòrag said, returning her attention to Rex. “This Blade he calls Pyra… Your flames burn far stronger than hers.” As she spoke, Pyra and Rex regrouped on the other side of the wall. “But…” Mòrag smiled. “Her flames hide something deeper.”

“Is everyone…all right?” Rex asked, gasping for breath.

“Hangin’ in there!” Nia shouted as she and Dromarch stood to their feet.

“Those two very strong!” Tora said as Poppi pulled herself from the ground and placed him back on his feet.

“I know.” Rex sighed. “At this rate we’ll never… There has to be a way… Some kinda…” He thought aloud as he looked around the parade grounds. “She’s a fire Blade.” He muttered, remembering the pipe Tora broke back in the alley the day before. “We gotta find…” He spotted a water tower just outside the garrison, in the middle of the farm fields.

“Nia!” He shouted, steadying his grip on his sword. “Can you clear us a path outside?”

“Sure!” She nodded in reply. She grabbed her twin rings from the ground nearby and tossed them to Dromarch. He unleashed a torrent of water from his mouth, putting out the flames in between the group and the garrison’s exit and throwing up a cloud of steam. They all ran forward through the new cover, sprinting out of the garrison and into the fields beyond. Mòrag slashed her sword, cutting through the steam and dissipating the wall of fire in front of her.

“There they are.” She said, catching a glimpse of the group just as they left the garrison. Immediately she began running after them, Brighid in tow.

“Pyra!” Rex shouted at they ran through the hilly rice patties outside the garrison. “Can you manage a full-powered blast?!”

“Yes!” She responded. “Maybe one or two!”

“That’ll do!” Rex nodded, coming to a halt in front of one of the patties’ walls. Nia and Tora spread out nearby. Mòrag and Brighid arrived almost immediately after, swords at the ready. Rex raised his sword into the air and unleashed yet another column of fire.

“Take this!” He shouted as it hurled toward Mòrag.

“You’re getting predictable, boy!” She replied, once again splitting the stream with her sword. As the flames arced around her, they impacted the legs of the water tower behind her, turning the steel girders red hot. The flames died down soon after, Rex and Pyra having scrambled up on top of the rice patty behind them.

“Look who’s talking!” Rex shouted with a smirk. He pointed his grappling hook at the water tower and let it fly, anchoring into the side. “Poppi! Now!”

“Roger roger!” She replied. She boosted herself into the air and landed next to Rex, grabbing onto the wire and pulling with all her might. The steel beams began to buckle under the heat and pressure.

“So that’s their plan.” Mòrag said. She clicked her tongue and tried to run up the hill toward Rex, but Nia and Dromarch jumped at them from the side. Dromarch tackled Brighid to the ground while Nia kicked Mòrag across the face. The four of them tumbled over, still directly in front of the water tower. Nia stood up and jumped onto Mòrag, attempting to slash her across the face with her claws. Mòrag caught her arm as it descended. She lifted Nia into the air and slammed her into the ground. Dromarch jumped back from where he lay next to Brighid, and Nia grabbed onto his fur. He unleashed another wave of ether from his mouth with a roar, forcing Brighid and Mòrag to a halt, and bounded back up the hill. Brighid threw up an ether shield to block the attack but couldn’t muster enough ether in time. The shield broke under the pressure and threw them both back. As they landed, the steel supports of the water tower finally gave in. It toppled to its side, dumping its entire contents directly onto Mòrag and Brighid.

“Curses!” Mòrag shouted. She managed to stay on her feet in the face of the veritable river’s worth of water, but Brighid’s flames were immediately extinguished. Mòrag’s swords powered down with them. She didn’t have time to notice, however, because Rex and Pyra immediately jumped straight into the air, hoisting the sword above their heads. A flaming mass the size of Gramps’s old body had coalesced around the blade.

The pair swung as they descended, barely avoiding Mòrag and Brighid. The mass of fire collided with the water and created a steam explosion that threw everyone on the battlefield into the air and blanketed half the town with smoke.

A few minutes passed while the smoke settled. Water continued to rush through the farms as Mòrag and Brighid recovered. Rex and the others had disappeared under the cover of the steam, and the pair simply stood by as sounds of confusion began to rise from within the city.

“I feel slighted.” Mòrag said, looking around at the wreckage they had caused.

“How so?” Brighid asked, her flames beginning to flicker back to life.

“They actually held back against me in battle.” Mòrag chuckled.

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“Did you not see? He could have struck me with that blow, but he averted his aim.”

“I… see.” Brighid nodded. “He did have good instincts too, for an amateur. His form had improved greatly since I crossed swords with him yesterday.” The two of them stood in silence for a moment, staring at the overturned water tower.

“The Aegis…” Mòrag muttered. “If she is travelling with that boy, perhaps we need not concern ourselves with them for the time being.”

“You think that’s advisable?”

“The Gormotti girl was the only one who bears Mor Ardain any ill intent. I have reservations about her, but for now His Majesty should have more pressing issues for us to resolve.”

-

Hours later, Rex and the rest ran through the wilds of Gormott. Having barely managed to slip out of Torigoth unnoticed, they found themselves running down what appeared to be an old logging road.

“I don’t think they’re following us.” Pyra said as the group came to a halt.

“Perhaps we’re safe, for now.” Gramps sighed, letting out a breath he’d been holding practically since the garrison.

“You’re right.” Rex nodded. “We should get some rest. I, for one, can’t go much further. Not with this arm, anyway.” He held up his arm, which he’d hastily bandaged with a strip of cloth from his old diving suit as they’d ran. He sat down in the grass and began steadying his breathing.

“Tora is pooped as well…” Tora yawned, falling over onto his back.

“What do we do now?” Nia asked. “Torigoth’s out, and I don’t know of any other ports on Gormott.”

“We’ll find a way.” Rex said, standing back up. “One way or another, we’ve still got to get to Elysium.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in Elysium.” Nia asked, crossing her arms.

“I don’t.” Rex replied. “But if that’s where Pyra wants to go, then I’ll take her there.” He tapped the crystal on his chest. “As for whether or not it’s real… We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“Living space is running out.” Nia commented. “People are getting desperate. Mor Ardain and Uraya are likely to start another war, at this rate. And they’ll need weapons to fight a war. And we just kicked the Flamebringer’s ass. Now that everyone knows what Pyra can do, half the world will be after us. Are you sure you can handle that?”

“Not by myself.” Rex shook his head. “Fighting Mòrag taught me as much. But if you’re willing to stick around, I think we’ll be fine.”

“Tora will help as well!” Tora shouted from where he lay on the ground.

“You’d better pull your weight.” Nia laughed. “Still, we’re back to square one, with no way off this Titan.”

“We can think up a solution in the morning.” Gramps said, yawning. “For now, I think we could all do with a good rest.”

-

A small distance away from the road, Pyra set up a fire. Nia, Dromarch, and Tora all lay sound asleep around the fire, and Poppi had powered herself down to recharge. Even Gramps snored soundly in Rex’s helmet. Only Rex and Pyra were still fully awake. They sat on a log as she wrapped the cut on his arm.

“Did I wrap it too tightly?” Pyra asked, putting the finishing touched on it.

“It’s fine.” Rex replied. “It feels much better now than an hour ago.”

“I’m sure that’s Nia’s poultice doing its job.” Pyra replied. Nia, lying half-asleep on Dromarch’s back, flashed the two of them a thumbs-up. Pyra reached for another roll of the poultice and began wrapping her own right arm.

“Pyra, you’re hurt too?” Rex asked. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine.” Pyra replied with a smile. “It’s just a scratch.”

“Here, let me help.” Rex said, taking the wrappings from her hand and beginning to dress her wound. He wrapped it with the precision and care of someone who’d done the same thing many times before.

“Thank you, Rex.” Pyra said as he finished the wrapping. She held it up and looked at it for a moment.

“Does it feel alright?” He asked. “I’ve only ever bandaged myself up before, so I don’t have a lot of points for reference.”

“It looks good.” She smiled. She moved next to him and put her right arm beside his. “Look, they’re the same.”

“Huh…” Rex said, staring at the two bandages. “Yeah, I guess they are.” Pyra laughed. As she did, wind tossed embers from the fire into the air, scattering ambient ether throughout the camp.

“So beautiful.” Pyra muttered as she and Rex watched the ether dance about.

“Probably because you made it.” He replied.

“Huh?” Pyra asked, turning to face Rex. His face became slightly flushed, but he coughed and continued speaking.

“I just mean you’re good at making fires, is all.”

“It’s what I do.” Pyra said. She snapped her fingers and summoned a flame in her hand. She blew on the flame and scattered its ether into the air. It danced around Pyra and Rex as they moved apart, falling asleep under the light of the World Tree.


	3. Chapter 3 - Out Own War

Deep beneath the surface of the Cloud Sea, The Monoceros cut through the water. The soft, sky-blue glow of ether emanated from domes along the bottom of its hull, engines that both kept the metal ship from sinking to the Cloud Sea’s depths and propelled it forward. As it moved, it approached the side of a titan-sized metal structure as long and tall as Gormott’s torso. As The Monoceros approached, an elliptical indentation in the side of the structure twice as tall as The Monoceros itself split in two. Each half retracted into the wall of the structure, forming a hole that The Monoceros sailed into without much pause. After it entered, the hole closed behind it, and the Cloud Sea began to drain from the chamber until it was only half full. The Monoceros drifted in a cylindrical airlock lined with ether lights. Next to it, just above the surface of the Cloud Sea, was a pier, essentially just a slab of metal running the length of the airlock and protruding from the wall almost to the side of The Monoceros. It was supported by a series of metal rings that hung from the chamber’s ceiling and circled around the entire space, just inside the walls of the chamber. A gangplank extended from it to The Monoceros’s entrance.

After a moment, The Monoceros’s bulkhead doors unsealed, and Jin stepped through and onto the gangplank. Malos followed closely behind, Sever at his heel. Waiting to greet them was a man in blue-tinted armor stylized much the same way as Jin’s and Malos’s, with repeatedly layered plates making up his gauntlets, spaulders, and a skirt-like collection of metallic bands that hung around his waist to guard his legs. He had black hair and red rectangular-frame glasses. Two swords with thin blades and long handles hung loosely from his waist, their edges glowing with ether energy.

“Welcome home, Jin.” The man said as the party left the gangplank and joined him on the pier.

“Hey, Akhos.” Jin responded.

“I hear the Aegis awakened.” Akhos continued to speak. “Nasty shock for you? Or was it…?” Akhos pushed his glasses up his nose and turned from the group. “Of course, my script showed how everything would play out from the start.”

“Sure.” A slightly nasally woman’s voice said from above him. “You say that when it’s all over and done with.” Out from behind one of the metal arches supporting the chamber’s roof floated a Blade. Her helmet was shaped like the head of a moth, covering all but her mouth and chin. From the sides of the helmet two flame-shaped horns rose into the air. The rest of her armor was obscured by a cloak extending from the small of her back as six distinct moth wings that swirled around her body. Only her arms poked through the sides, covered in armor etched with the same moth sensibilities as the rest of her.

“It’s easy to act smug when hindsight’s on your side.” She continued, floating just above the surface of the pier and spinning around Akhos in circles.

“Shut your mouth, Obrona.” Akhos replied.

“I’m shaking to my core!” Obrona put her hands up in feigned terror and pantomimed a shaking motion. She had a wide grin plastered on her face. Akhos waved a hand in her face and shooed her away, stepping forward to resume conversation with Jin. She floated behind him, continuing to twirl and poke at him while he talked.

“Where’s Patroka?” Malos asked, looking around the chamber.

“Out Hunting.” Akhos smiled. “I’m sure she’ll have found plenty of Drivers to chew up and spit out by now.”

“Not sure we can use all of those Core Crystals.” Malos huffed.

“Using them isn’t the point.” Jin said, shooting Malos a glare.

“Where’s Mikhail?” Akhos asked. “Shouldn’t he have been with you?”

“We dropped him off in Mor Ardain on the way back.” Malos replied. “He said he wanted to inspect the factory.”

“Do we know where the Aegis is right now?” Jin asked.

“Have no fear, Jin.” Akhos shook his head. “Of course we know her whereabouts. Obrona?” He nodded to his Blade.

“Yeah, yeah.” Obrona sighed and floated in front of the group. She put her hands together and projected a field of yellow ether particles into the air. They clumped together into the vague shapes of Alrest’s continents. In the middle was Gormott. On its back were several pulsing ether particles, two red and one blue, all larger than the surrounding background.

“Interesting.” Akhos mused as he studied the map. “It seems they’re currently traveling away from the urban area of Gormott.”

“Leaving the town?” Malos asked. “But there’s nothing out that way…”

“Perhaps they’re on their way out of Gormott itself.” Akhos offered. A bright blue collection of ether particles appeared between Gormott and a dragon-shaped Titan Continent. “Would you look at that?” Akhos muttered.

“What?” Jin asked.

“It seems a certain shipment has set out.”

“The Core Crystals bound for Indol?” Malos smirked. “How pious of them.” He turned to Jin. “Shall we handle them?”

“I can deal with that myself.” Jin responded. “You concentrate on the Aegis.”

“Understood.” Akhos smiled. “I am looking forward to clapping eyes on the Aegis.” He walked forward and put his hand against the Aegis’s ether signal on his map. “By the way, what happened to Nia?”

“Defected.” Malos grunted. “You know where she is?”

“I see.” Akhos nodded. He pushed up his glasses again. “You could have said so sooner.” He pointed to the blue ether signal next to the Aegis’s. “This is most likely Dromarch’s wavelength. It would seem they’re travelling together with the Aegis.”

“With the Aegis?” Jin asked. Malos glanced at him for a moment as he sat in thought. “Do as you see fit.”

“Understood.” Akhos said. He waved his hand at Obrona and she collapsed the ether map. “You don’t need to ask me twice.”

“Right then.” Malos nodded. “We’re gonna take the Monoceros.”

“As you wish.” Jin grunted. He turned and began walking toward the exit of the chamber, a rectangular metal threshold in the chamber’s walls.

“Hey!” Malos shouted after Jin. He stopped for a moment. “Don’t do anything too reckless.”

Jin resumed walking without reply. Malos sighed and he, Sever, Akhos, and Obrona all boarded The Monoceros.

-

The sun dawned over Gormott. Nia, Dromarch, Tora, and Poppi all slept where they had settled down the night before. Pyra had stretched out on the ground, her head leaning against the far end of the log Rex was sitting on. Gramps snored quietly in his helmet. Only Rex was awake, fiddling with a compass-shaped device with multiple layered rings.

“Hello Rex-Rex” Tora yawned as he sat up. He waddled up to where Rex sat while the rest of the group slowly began to wake up. His gaze wandered around the camp before catching on the device in Rex’s hand. “What is that?”

“Cloud Sea compass.” Rex responded. “The Titan Continents move in more or less regular patterns around the World Tree, so if you dial these to the date like so…” Rex rotated the rings with a series of tabs, and in turn light blue pegs moved around circular tracks on the device’s surface.. “You can see where the Titans are in relation to each other. And to the World Tree.”

“This is very clever!” Tora exclaimed. He began flapping his wings as he studied the compass.

“It looks like Gormott is fairly close to the World Tree right now.” Gramps commented, hauling himself upright in Rex’s helmet and studying the compass’s face.

“All we need is a ship.” Rex said, standing up from the log. He walked over to Pyra and offered her a hand as she leaned up. After a moment, she took it, and he hauled her to her feet.

“That’ll be no small feat.” Dromarch commented as he and Nia walked to join the group. Poppi trailed right behind them. “The army has every ship in town in its grip.”

“Not every ship.” A voice rang out from above the group. They all looked up to see Vandham standing on the canopy of tree branches that dangled above the group. Roc hung upside down next to him. With a smile Vandham jumped from the branches, closing his eyes and stretching his arms out. Roc let go and swung out to grab Vandham as he fell. The two of them touched down in front of the group, and Vandham gave a small bow.

As he landed, two other Drivers came up the hill behind him. One was an Urayan man with disheveled blue hair, pink metallic armor, and glasses. The other was an Ardainian man with close-cropped brown hair and blue leather armor. Each was accompanied in turn by a Blade. The Urayan’s was a half-shirtless man with long auburn hair pulled into two crystal-tipped braids. He wore a pair of goggles on his forehead and another around his neck, his arms ended in oversized mechanical hands, his pants were a mixture of gray legging and bright pink boots, and his shirt was little more than a series of ribbons extending from his Core Crystal and wrapping around his body. The Ardainian’s Blade sat perched on his shoulders. She was a green-yellow feathered creature wearing armored gauntlets and grieves. She had a humanoid face, but atop her head was a beak-shaped mask fastened in place by a pair of goggles.

“Vandham!?” Rex shouted. He grabbed the handle of his sword and narrowed his eyes. “Did you follow us out here?”

“Relax, kid.” Vandham laughed. “We were just passing through. These two are my associates. Yew,” He pointed to the Ardainian, “And Zuo.” The Urayan. “The Blades are Finch and Gorg, respectively. Heard you guys need a lift. It just so happens we’re on our way out of Gormott ourselves. I’d be glad to give you all a lift.”

“What’s the catch?” Rex asked.

“I’m… Not sure what you mean.” Vandham said.

“Cut the crap. There’s no way mercenaries like you just let us ride for free. So what do you want in return?”

“I see you still haven’t fixed that attitude of yours.” Vandham shook his head. “But if it bothers you that much, then we’ll just say it’s a thank you for letting me take a whack at the legendary Aegis.”

“What do you think?” Rex asked, taking a step back and cocking his head back toward Nia. “Can we trust them?”

“What I think is that you have serious trust issues.” Nia said. “We know he doesn’t want us dead, and we need a ship anyhow.” She walked past Rex and stretched out her hand toward Vandham. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“That’s the spirit!” Vandham beamed. He grabbed Nia’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Reluctantly, Rex let go of his sword handle. “Come on, we’re anchored just on the other side of the Titan.” Vandham jabbed his thumb over his shoulder toward the Titan’s spinal ridge. “You can tell me all about where we’re going while we walk.”

“We’re headed to Elysium.” Nia said as she and Vandham began walking up the hill towards the Titan’s spine.

“No kidding!” Vandham shouted. “You’re aiming pretty high for a buncha greenhorns!”

“We’re going to the World Tree.” Rex cut in as he caught up to Nia and Vandham. “Not the same thing. Can’t go somewhere that doesn’t exist.”

“And here I thought you’d finally come around.” Nia sighed, shaking her head. “What happened to “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it”?”

“Hey, I’m just keeping perspective here.” Rex replied. “Someone has to. We’ll know for sure one way or another when we get there, but I’m not holding my breath.”

“You’re insufferable.” Nia said. She slowed her pace until Dromarch and Pyra caught up with her. Rex shook his head slowly as she drifted back.

“And what perspective would that be?” Vandham asked. “What makes you so sure Elysium isn’t real, huh? You know something the rest of us don’t?”

“No. I just don’t think waiting on a fairytale to fix all of my problems is a very practical solution.”

“That’s a load a shit.” Vandham huffed. “You want to know what I think?”

“Not really.” Rex replied. “Unless this boat ride hinges on it. If that’s the case, then I’m all ears.”

“Forget it. You’re not going to listen to me anyway. Still, I am curious. If you have such differing opinions on your destination, why are you travelling together?”

“Ask Nia.” Rex shrugged. “I’m just Pyra’s escort, really.” He nodded back to Pyra who trailed behind them between Nia and Tora. “She saved my life a few days ago.” He tapped the Core Crystal on his chest. “It’s a long story, but… I figure I should at least make sure she gets to where she wants to go. After that, we’ll be all squared up, and I can get back to my life.”

“So, what, you got a code or something? Never owe anything to anyone?”

“I spent the last five years in Argentum. You don’t last long there if you’re not willing to adopt a few new rules.”

“I take it back, kid.” Vandham said. “It’s not your attitude that’s the problem. It’s your whole worldview that’s gone sideways.”

“Like you’re any better.” Rex scoffed. “Where does a mercenary like you get off lecturing me like that?”

“You got a problem with mercenaries, kid?”

“Not in principle, no. I mean, we’re the same, when you get right down to it. I’m a salvager. You fight the wars. I supply the weapons. That’s where the money is, after all. For both of us. It’s neither of our business if Mor Ardain and Uraya can’t sort out their differences more peacefully. The way I see it, we’ve both got blood on our hands. You could go so far as to say we’re both a part of the reason people like Nia want Elysium so badly. So forgive me if I fail to see where you get the right to lecture me about my attitude.”

“We ain’t the same, kid.” Vandham shook his head. “You use war as a means to an end, helping perpetuate violence for your own benefit.”

“And you don’t?”

“I started the Garfont Mercenaries to protect the people I care about, not to involve myself in some senseless conflict.”

“A mercenary who won’t fight a war? I suppose it takes all kinds.”

“I am fighting a war, kid. It ain’t Uraya’s war or Mor Ardain’s war, but I’m fighting all the same. You, kid? You’re just running.”

“I am not a coward.” Rex spat. “I’m just a realist.” He turned away from Vandham and put some distance between them. After a few more minutes of walking in silence, they finally reached a pass at the top of Gormott’s spinal ridge, where there was enough space between its neck and the plates jutting out from the top of the ridge for a small Titan to pass through. As he stood at the top of the ridge, Rex looked down across Gormott’s left side. A Titan boat was anchored to the side of a gargantuan tree sprouting out of the ground about halfway between the pass and the Titan’s hips.

“I don’t envy you, kid.” Vandham said as he walked up behind Rex. “From the sound if it, you’ve been dealt a pretty rough hand. But you need to rise above that. You’re the Aegis’s Driver now.”

“Not for much longer, I’m not.” Rex said. Before Vandham could reply, he started walking down the other side of the ridge toward the mercenaries’ boat.

-

“So, you’re an Artificial Blade?” Zuo asked as he studied Poppi. They both stood on the deck of the Titan boat as it sailed through the Cloud Sea. Tora stood next to them, beaming with pride as the mercenary admired his invention.

“Affirmative.” Poppi replied. “Poppi runs entirely on Ether Furnace, no Core Crystal required.”

“And that means no Driver required either.” Rex commented as he cleaned his equipment. “No offense, Tora.”

“Is not entirely accurate.” Tora shook his head. “If Poppi were to fight with weapon all the time instead of simply supplying ether like normal Blade, extra strain on Ether Furnace would cause overload. Workaround would require severe overhaul of entire Ether Furnace or the removal of Poppi’s personality complex to lighten furnace’s load.”

“In short, Poppi still need Masterpon to function effectively in combat.” Poppi said.

“I guess there’s no real danger of putting me out of a job then.” Yew said, leaning on the side of the ship’s cabin. “Probably cost more than what I make in a year to put you together. Not to mention how hard it’ll be even selling the Blades.”

“I don’t know.” Rex replied. “Being able to sell Driver potential with no risk? I imagine you could make a fortune off just one. If you could find a way to mass produce Poppi… I mean just think about it.”

“So you’ve really got no compunction with selling an army of Artificial Blades, kid?” Vandham asked, glancing back from the ship’s helm.

“What, scared of a little competition in the market?”

“Won’t be any competition.” Vandham shook his head. “I knew you were green, but I didn’t know you were this green.”

“Are you going to fill me in or just be an ass about it?”

“Indol.” Vandham sighed. “Getting your hands on a Core Crystal isn’t that difficult. But if you want it to be able to successfully resonate, you’ll need to have it purified and registered at the Indoline Praetorium. Any Driver caught without a registration number faces a severe penalty, no matter where they’re operating. Governments uphold the registration laws because it allows them easier access to Core Crystal purification. In exchange, Indol maintains an informal monopoly on Core Crystal distribution and a considerable measure of influence over many of Alrest’s governments. You can imagine how much that influence hinders Queen Raqura and Emperor Niall, and what they’d be willing to do to break free of it. Your hypothetical scheme would do exactly that: give the world’s militaries the ability to rid themselves of Indoline interference. You think Indol would just sit by and let you unseat them from the position they’ve held since the Aegis War? No, they’d send the Indoline Guard after you, and you wouldn’t last an hour.”

“I can handle myself.”

“Maybe you can. But even if you manage to escape the Guard, they’d use their influence with the governments to have you branded an international criminal. Worse than that, even. A heretic. You wouldn’t be able to come up for air without half a dozen mercenary teams trying to cash you in.”

“You talk like this has happened before.”

“I don’t think anyone’s managed an Artificial Blade before, but Blade experimentation’s nothing new. Indol will do whatever it takes to prevent another Judicium.”

“Judicium?” Rex asked. “I’ve salvaged a few wrecks from them before. For the time, they had impressive modifications on their Titans. Did they experiment with Blades too?”

“We’ll save the history lesson for later.” Vandham motioned out at the Cloud Sea in front of him. “We’re here.”

Rex scrambled to grab his gear and stand up as everyone else made their way to the front of the ship. Looming on the horizon was the impossibly huge form of the World Tree. They were close enough now to see where it met the Cloud Sea. Only it didn’t actually touch the clouds. As they approached the World Tree, they began to sink, forming a wall of clouds a distance away from the World Tree that traveled further down into the Cloud Sea than anyone could see. The tree itself was more of a massive collection of several dozen smaller trees, collectively larger in diameter than any Titan Rex had ever seen and all growing into the sky until the branches spread out over the tops of even the highest clouds in the sky.

“So that’s the World Tree.” Rex said as he joined the group. “I’ve never seen it this close before.”

“Me neither.” Nia replied. “But it’s just as awesome as I’d hoped.”

“That current’s nothing to get excited about.” Rex nodded to where the clouds began to fall off. “Fall in that and you’re a goner.”

“Well, I took us this far.” Vandham said, sizing up the World Tree with his arms crossed. “But I hope you all have a plan for crossing this void, because I’m fresh out of ideas.”

“Can your Blade ferry us over?” Rex asked. “He managed to carry you out of the garrison yesterday.”

“Even Blades can get tired.” Roc said, jumping down from his perch on top of the cabin. “I don’t think I’d be able to manage more than a few trips across that chasm, even without a passenger. There’s no telling how far I’d make it with the added weight.”

“Alright, flying’s out.” Rex mused. “Unless we fly something over to the Tree and anchor it there. My grappling hook doesn’t have enough line, but maybe a rope?”

“I’ll see what we’ve got lying around.” Zuo said. “But I wouldn’t hold your breath.” He retreated into the cabin and began rummaging around.

“How about you, Pyra?” Nia asked. “Do you know of any other way in?”

Pyra didn’t respond. She was staring up at the World Tree, her face creased into a frown.

“Pyra?” Rex asked. He reached out his hand toward her, hesitating, before putting it on her shoulder. The action seemed to jolt her back to reality.

“We need to leave.” She said.

“What?” Rex asked, pulling away from her. “We finally get here, and you-”

“Vandham.” Pyra walked past Rex and up to the mercenary. “Turn the ship around. We can’t stay here.” Her tone was grave, and her expression matched. Vandham gave a small shrug and did as he was told, turning the ship around as fast as he was able.

“Pyra, what are you talking about?” Nia asked. As if to answer in her stead, a tremor ran through the Cloud Sea, knocking everyone in the boat off balance. In front of them, a great form began rising out of the clouds. It was a large serpent, made entirely out of purple metal and as thick around as the Titan they rode. Its body was segmented by black rings, and each segment was covered in patterned metal paneling. Its head loomed immediately above the Titan ship, a long beak-shaped metal chassis with glowing circles that resembled eyes. On the crown of its head were several small sections raised above the rest, which were mirrored by larger ring of protruding segments at the base of where its head connected to the segmented body rising behind it. The wave it had caused when it broke the surface nearly crashed over the side of the Titan ship, and everyone on board was in various states of shock and disorientation as they recovered, only to come face-to-face with the mechanical beast.

“Ophion!” Pyra shouted, her eyes going wide. She took a step toward the creature even as Vandham fought with the wheel to turn the ship away from it. As if to respond to her exclamation, Ophion’s head split open, the bottom hinging in the approximation of a jaw and letting out a high-pitched roar. Inside its mouth was a green pulsating circle, ringed by wiring carrying the energy through the rest of Ophion’s head. As the roar subsided, Vandham managed to spin the wheel enough to turn the ship back in the direction they had come. The Titan began sailing away from the World Tree, but Ophion trailed close behind.

“Ophion!” Pyra continued to shout, having turned around to keep her gaze locked in it. “Stop this!” It didn’t respond further to her cries. “What’s wrong? Can’t you hear me? It can’t-” Ophion’s tail slammed into the side of the Titan, nearly capsizing it and knocking Pyra to the floor. The tail rose behind the Titan, sending another wave crashing down on top of them.

Suddenly, its gaze shifted from the Titan. Slowly, it retracted its tail and sunk back into the Cloud Sea. It broke the surface further away from the Titan, travelling back toward the void that ringed the World Tree.

“What was that?” Rex asked as everyone on board pulled themselves together. “I thought we were done for!”

“We ain’t out of the woods yet, kid.” Vandham grunted, standing back up straight. As he stood, the Cloud Sea began shaking again. In front of their small craft loomed a much larger Titan that had emerged from beneath the Cloud Sea. It was almost as large as Gormott but shaped like a whale. They stared down its head as its mouth opened, drawing the surrounding Cloud Sea into its maw.

“That’s Uraya!” Gramps exclaimed as their ship began falling into its mouth.

“Not good!” Vandham shouted as the wall of teeth lining its upper jaw began to descend behind them. “Brace yourselves! Here it comes!” Almost on que, the Cloud Sea around them began to fall, taking their whole titan with it into the depths of Uraya’s stomach. As it closed its jaw, the continent-sized Titan began to descend back into the Cloud Sea, slowing peeling off and swimming away from the World Tree.

-

Rex struggled to open his eyes and was met with the harsh glare of a ray of sunlight shining directly in his face. Slowly, he put his hand up to block the offending light and managed a squint. He lay in bed in a tent made of cloth tarps woven into a wooden support structure. Light filtered through a window to his right. His entire body was sore, and while he was unconscious someone had taken the time to bandage over the worst of his bruises. As he adjusted to his surroundings, he heard muffled voices on the other side of the tent’s walls. He eased himself out of bed and to the tent’s flap, grabbing his belt and gauntlet from a nearby table as he walked. He slipped them on as he ducked through the flap.

Rex found himself at the back of a village in a cavern. A dozen or so tents were clustered around the one he had emerged from, and hundreds of people, primarily children, bustled between them all. Many of the children chased each other around the village playing a variety of games, merchants stood hawking goods in a small marketplace, a dozen or so of the adults were exercising and training with Blades in a fenced-in pitch, and a small crowd of people had gathered at tables in front of a nearby tent that served as a canteen. Among that group were Vandham, Nia, Tora, Pyra, and the others from the Titan ship. Pyra noticed Rex emerge from the tent and waved him over.

“So, kid. You’re finally up.” Vandham said as Rex approached the table he, Pyra, Roc, and Gramps were sitting at. “Welcome to Garfont.” He smiled and took a drink from his mug. “Ain’t much, but it’s home.”

“Home?” Rex asked as he sat down next to Vandham. “So this is your village, then? How’d we end up here?”

“Anytime the Titan swallows up a meal, we usually send people down to check what’s washed up. Lucky for us, they found our sorry mushes before anything else did and dragged us back up here.”

“So we’re… inside Uraya? Where’s the light coming from?” Rex looked up to the cavern’s ceiling where rays of sunlight shone through the walls.

“Uraya has a translucent hide.” Gramps said. “What you’re seeing is the light from the sun filtering through.”

“Living inside a Titan…” Rex whistled. He took another look around the village, his eyes settling on a group of Gormotti and Nopon children playing nearby. “There’s a lot more kids than I expected for a mercenary group.”

“Most of ‘em are orphans we’ve taken in on the job.” Vandham replied. “Parents killed by bandits, monsters, soldiers, and the like.”

“War orphans.” Rex said. “So, what, you’ve taken them all under your wing? I guess you’ve got to find some way to fill your ranks.”

“This is a safe place for them, free from all the violence out there. They’ve got food, shelter, and people to look after them. We don’t push them to do anything they don’t want to do. The few that do join up after they’re old enough to make it by themselves, like Yew and Zuo, do so because they think this place is something worth protecting. But it’s up to them to decide what to do with their lives, not me.”

“You can pelt Vandham with questions later.” Pyra said, standing from her seat opposite Vandham. “Right now you need to eat. Get your strength back.” She motioned to the spread of food on the table in front of them. “I’m going to get some water. Vandham?”

“Thanks for the offer, love.” He said, setting his mug down. “But I’m all topped up.”

“Suit yourself.” Pyra shrugged. She stood and made her way to the canteen. Rex just stared at the food in front of him.

“What’s up?” Vandham asked. “The grub don’t suit you? Or do you not want to owe me the favor?”

“I’m just thinking…” Rex stared out at the training yard. “This is what you’re fighting to protect?”

“This village is everything to me, kid.”

“And if it came down to it, would you fight the Ardainians to protect them?”

“I’d do anything to protect them.”

“Even if it meant fighting in the war you refuse to take part in?”

“Maybe you misunderstood what I said in Gormott.” Vandham sighed. “Mercenaries, by their nature, fight on other people’s terms. But when you’ve got a home like this you need to protect, things get a little different. When I take a job, I do it because it’ll benefit the village, and helping spread violence does the opposite of that. As a rule, we don’t take jobs from the military, and very rarely from the world governments either.”

“So how do you make your money then?”

“Funny you should ask.” Vandham smiled. “I was about to head out on a job the village received while we were in Gormott. Nia and Tora already agreed to come along and help. Care to join us? Fancy being a mercenary for a day?”

“Are you trying to get us to join up?”

“Shrimps like you?” Vandham laughed. “We’re not that desperate. Consider it payment for the room and board. I know how you hate owing people.”

“I suppose I can’t argue with that.” Rex grabbed a roll of bread and took a bite out of it. “So where are we going?”

“Follow me, kid.” Vandham said, standing up from the table. “I’ll explain on the way.” He motioned to the other table where Nia, Tora, Dromarch, and Poppi sat. Reluctantly, they put their food down. Gramps fluttered into Rex’s helmet as he lingered for a moment to grab a few more handfuls of food. Vandham let the group past the training yard and up an incline to one of the village’s exits.

“The job’s straightforward.” Vandham said as the group formed up near the exit. “There’s been some kinda crazy energy effect detected up near the blowhole. We’re going to go check it out.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Rex nodded. “Though it doesn’t exactly sound like mercenary work.”

“These sorts of jobs are our bread and butter.” Vandham replied as he opened the wooden gates in front of the group. “Now come on. We’ve got quite a hike ahead of us.”

Vandham and Roc walked through the gates and up the path leading to the blowhole. The group followed closely behind. They traveled through another cavern and around an underground lake before they ran into their first obstacle. A large floating ball of grey ether energy surrounded by a swirling vortex sat in the middle of the passage in front of them. Occasionally, it spewed out concentrated slices of wind that cut through the air around it. The group’s progress came to a halt as they reached it.

“An ether miasma.” Vandham commented as the rest of the group simply stared at the ball.

“Ether miasma?” Rex asked.

“Take it this is your first one.” Vandham said. “It’s a load of poisonous waste products spewed from the Titan’s guts. Y’know when you get gassy? Kinda like that.”

“Is there a way through this thing?” Nia asked. “I can’t see any way round it.”

“Hey. No fear.” Vandham took a step toward the miasma. “Roc, mate! You’re up!” Roc jumped into the air and began beating his wings toward the miasma. Concentrated bands of wind ether began swirling around him. After they had built up enough, he let them fly toward the miasma, striking the floating ball in the center and dispersing the entire cloud.

“Miasma’s died down.” Rex said as Roc landed.

“Nothing to it.” Roc replied, looking as smug as he could with a beak instead of a mouth.

“Let’s roll!” Vandham announced, walking forward once again. The group traveled through another series of caverns and lakes. Eventually, they emerged from the caverns onto a plateau into Uraya’s main chamber. On their left, the Titan’s large, lake-shaped stomachs stretched out far below, running more than half the length of the titan. On their right, a roughly cylindrical hole was cut out of both the plateau and the face of the cliff hanging above it, forming Uraya’s blowhole. As the group took in the sight, the ground beneath them began to shake.

“What that?” Tora asked.

“I don’t know…” Vandham said. “But it sounds like…” Vandham trailed off as the shaking grew in intensity. From the other side of the plateau, a herd of large, four legged beasts with thick hides and crested head plates stampeded down an incline. They were running in a frenzy, barreling into a wall and almost spilling over each other as they changed direction toward the party.

“Ardun stampede!” Rex shouted. “Everyone get to cover!” The group began to scatter back into the cavern.

“No need.” Vandham smiled. “Rex, any good with that anchor?”

“What?” Rex asked, stopping to turn around and stare at Vandham. “Vandham, we need to move!”

“Just hand it here.” Vandham replied. Rex stared at him for a moment before relenting.

“Your funeral.” Rex sighed. He slipped the anchor device from his glove and tossed it to Vandham. Vandham caught it and began walking toward the stampede.

“Vandham!” Nia shouted, stopping where she was on the hill and turning around to catch up to Vandham. “What’re you doing?”

“Just watch.” He said, turning the device over in his hands for a moment. Then he broke into a run, charging for the outer edge of the stampede. He held the anchor in one hand and aimed it at the front leg of the ardun at the head of the stampede. He fired the hook, angled so that once it passed between the ardun’s legs it’d start wrapping around one. As soon as the hook was secure, he jumped, pulling up on the device and stopping the reel. The line pulled tight as he reached the crest of his motion, pulling the ardun’s legs out from under it. It crashed to the ground in front of the ardun beside it, thanks to Vandham’s momentum. That ardun in turn tripped and fell, and the effect began to cascade through the herd. Soon the entire mass of arduns ground to a halt. Rex, Nia, and the others emerged from the cavern.

“Well you don’t see that every day.” Rex said as they rejoined Vandham. “I never thought of using the anchor to topple something like that before.”

“I’ve had my share of practice.” Vandham tossed the anchor back to Rex. “The trick is to pull it taught at just the right moment.”

“I bet having two hundred pounds of muscle behind the pull doesn’t hurt either.” Rex smirked. “But yeah, I’ll keep it in mind.”

“We’d better keep moving.” Dromarch said, gazing across the herd as it began to recover. “We don’t want to stick around if those ardun begin to stampede again.”

“Good point.” Vandham nodded. “Blowhole’s just up this way. Not much further.” He began walking in the direction the arduns had charged from. It didn’t take the group long to reach the top of the outcropping. As they did, they noticed a grey-white lump pressed against the wall of the cavern.

“Like I thought…” Vandham sighed as the group neared the mass. It was a dead Titan, as long as Gramps had been at his full size, but half as wide. It was whale-shaped, with several fins on either side and boney protrusions covering most of its skin.

“A Titan?” Rex exclaimed as he realized what they were looking at. “So that weird power effect they clocked… Maybe this is the cause?”

“Yeah, sure looks like it.” Vandham grunted.

“I’ll hazard it wasn’t death by old age either, from the looks of it.” Gramps said, popping out from Rex’s helmet. “Might’ve been an accident… On the other hand, it might’ve been attacked.” As if on cue, a large creature dropped from the ceiling next to the Titan. It was an arachno, an arthropod several times the size of a human. It had four legs, each tipped with a single curved hook, that joined its body right behind its neck. It had four clicking mandibles longer than a person’s forearm around its mouth and two glowing-red wing-shaped structures on top of its head. It’s body, meanwhile, was forked into two thoraxes, each with spotted red patterns on the back.

“I think we’ve found our culprit!” Vandham shouted, drawing his scythes. As the rest of the group drew their weapons, another creature dropped from the ceiling, landing next to the arachno. It was half again as tall as Vandham, and despite its vaguely humanoid shape, it was covered in ebon armor. Two long protrusions, halfway between horns and tails, sprung from its forehead, and spikes jutted out from all over it where its armor plates met. A long, tail-like tendril of spikes swung from the back of its head to the ground, and in the center of its chest glowed the telltale blue of a Core Crystal.

“It’s got a Blade?” Nia shouted.

“Worry about that later!” Vandham replied, rushing forward. “Just hit it!” He swung his scythes at one of the arachno’s legs. The Blade materialized a two-pronged spear in its hands and blocked Vandham’s strike. It let out a roar and swung the spear forward, pushing Vandham back. Nia charged the arachno while the Blade engaged Vandham, jumping up to strike one if its leg joints. The attack sliced through part of the joint but failed to sever the limb completely. As Nia returned to the ground, the arachno lashed out with the leg, sending Nia flying over the edge of the overhang. Dromarch leapt after her. A Boom Biter from Tora’s shield slammed into its mandibles, shearing the chitin off one of them and leaving it hanging loosely as the others continued to click together in a frenzy.

Rex ran to aid Vandham against the Blade as Tora continued to assail the arachno with blasts. Rex thrust his sword forward, catching the Blade in the stomach as it swung its spear at Vandham’s head. Rex’s attack didn’t slow it down, but after Vandham dodged out of the way of its strike it changed focus to Rex. It swung the end of its spear down on top of Rex’s head. He jumped back, managing to avoid a lethal blow but catching the head of the spear on the exposed part of his thigh. It cut all the way around to the back of his leg as it descended. Rex landed hard on his wounded leg, and Pyra stumbled backward, barely managing to keep her ether flow steady.

Dromarch jumped back up onto the battlefield behind the arachno, Nia clinging onto his fur. She ran at its back, slicing chitinous armor plates open with her rings. The wounds she left on its thorax leaked a green ichor, and it recoiled in pain as her attacks found purchase. It jumped into the air, legs sweeping around and striking both Rex and Vandham, and it landed practically on top of them. With the distance closed, Tora extended his shield’s drill and drove it straight into one of the wounds Nia had made. It slammed the ends of its thorax to the ground, throwing Tora back, but kept its focus on Nia. Vandham got to his feet and kicked the Blade back as it recovered, keeping it away from the arachno.

As Nia and Vandham continued to fight their respective foes, Rex pulled himself up and took stock of the fight. He ran between Vandham and the arachno, making his way to Nia, when his eyes caught on the wound she’d made in its leg. He shifted course slightly and raised his anchor. He fired it at the joint in its wounded leg as he ran past. The moment his anchor found purchase, he pulled it taught. The joint snapped under the pressure, and the arachno’s leg buckled. As it descended, Nia rushed forward and used the opportunity to put her ring straight through its face, killing it.

The moment the arachno died, the Blade’s weapon dematerialized into blue ether particles. It collapsed to the ground just like its master, and after a second it too faded away, leaving nothing but an unlit Core Crystal on the ground where it once was.

“So that monster was in resonance with the Blade.” Pyra said. The group gathered around the inactive Core Crystal.

“Tora cannot resonate, stinky monster can resonate.” Tora sighed, deflating almost like a balloon. “Not fair!”

“If a Blade looses its Driver, it winds up like this.” Vandham said, motioning toward the Core Crystal.

“Dolmes did that too.” Rex said. “Is it… dead?”

“Nah!” Vandham balked. “The crystal’ll start glowing again after a bit of time. Then a new Driver can resonate with it. But…”

“There’s a but?”

“Its memory will be totally zapped. It’ll be reborn as a new Blade. Won’t remember a thing.”

“That’s pretty rough. To have all your past wiped out like that…”

“But memories…” Pyra said, looking up from the Core Crystal. “Memories can be painful as well. They can be a terrible burden. And a Blade can live forever, as long as the crystal exists. It’s just a well. Eternity is a long time to collect bad memories.”

“Are you alright?” Rex asked. “I don’t mean to pry, but…”

“No, I’m fine.” Pyra shook her head. “I was just thinking, sometimes being able to forget is a blessing.”

“Speaking of memory.” Vandham said, reaching down and picking up the inactive Core Crystal. “You got the timing on that anchor shot down after seeing it once. Not bad, kid.”

“Rather handy technique, that.” Rex nodded.

“It’s not the only one.” Vandham smiled. “Drivers use Arts. But that doesn’t just mean using the powers your Blade gives you. There are Arts that use your own strength, or even take advantage of your enemy’s. A Driver’s job is to be smart with his Arts and protect his Blade.”

“Protect my Blade?” Rex asked. “I understand I might have to take some special precautions, being the Aegis’s Driver, but aren’t normal Blades functionally immune to damage, at least long term? Why do they need protecting?”

“It’s a two-way thing, kid.” Vandham shook his head. “A Blade puts their life in your hands from the moment you resonate, and you put your life in theirs. But as the Driver, it’s your job to be aware of the power coming out of your Blade so you can use it effectively. Don’t waste it, channel it through your Arts, and protect your Blade. If you can do that, then you’re a true Driver.”

“A true Driver?” Nia asked. “That’s a laugh. A few days ago he didn’t even know how to keep within his Blade’s range.”

“I’ve gotten better since then, though.” Rex replied.

“While you are still pretty green, I’ve got to say I agree.” Vandham smiled. “That trick from before? The anchor shot? Took me five months of practice to learn that.”

“Five months?!” Rex asked.

“Yeah.” Vandham nodded. “But you saw it once, then aced it like it was nothin’. And you’ve already got Nia and Tora in tow. From how they fight, they know what I mean when I say true Driver. It’s no wonder the three of you held your own against the likes of Mòrag the Flamebringer. You keep this up, kid, and you’ve got a bright future ahead of you as a Driver.”

“Biggipon has scary face, but he very nice!” Tora said, puffing his wings up.

“Well I’ll be!” Vandham laughed. “You sussed me out, furrypon!” As his laughter died down, he turned his attention to the dead Titan nearby. “Alright, c’mon! Let’s get finished up here!” He walked up to the Titan’s corpse and stuck his hand into a wound on its side. It began to break apart into ether particles, and once it had fully dissolved, Vandham withdrew his hand. In it he held a gleaming blue crystal.

“A Core Crystal!” Tora exclaimed, flapping his wings excitedly.

“What?!” Rex shouted as Vandham returned to the group.

“Well that’s where they come from.” Vandham held it out so the group could see it. “Out of Titans. This one’s brand new and ready to resonate. Like a big steak, right before you take that first bite. It’ll probably end up buddying up with a bunch of Drivers. Every time the Driver dies, it’ll forget everything and return to its core. Eventually, it’ll resonate with a new Driver. Driver’s dyin’, Titans dyin’… The Blade just keeps on livin’ through it all… It’s a never ending cycle.” He pocketed the second Core Crystal alongside the first. “An eternal history. As mortals, we’ll never be able to understand.”

“That’s… That’s something else.” Rex whistled. “Dare I say it, incredible.”

Pyra broke from Rex’s side and walked up to the mass of ether still occupying the vague shape of the dead Titan. She watched as the ether slowly faded away into the surrounding atmosphere.

“Can a Blade have multiple Drivers?” Rex asked, keeping his eye on Pyra. “Or is it possible to keep a Blade from returning to its core after its Driver dies?”

“Not that I know of, no. On either account.” Vandham replied. “Why d’you ask?”

“Just wondering.” He shook his head, trying to clear it of thoughts about Pyra’s past.

-

Some time later, the group had returned to Garfont and spread out across the training yard. Rex and Pyra sat on a crate in the middle of the yard. They were each helping to dress the other’s wounds from the battle against the arachno.

“Hey, hold still.” Pyra said as Rex recoiled from the swab of lotion she had been applying to the cut on his leg. “I thought you were a tough salvager, Rex.”

“Gimme a break.” He replied. “Pain is pain, isn’t it? How about you? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Pyra said. “It’s just a scra-” Pyra seized up as Rex began applying the swab in his hand to a cut on her arm. “Ouch!” She finally managed to get out, swatting his hand aside. “That was on purpose! You were hurting me on purpose, weren’t you?”

“I wasn’t, honest!” Rex stammered, waving his hands defensively. “I was just rubbing the lotion in.”

“You rubbed it too hard you idiot.” She pressed her swab against the cut on his leg, and he leapt back in pain. “It hurts, see?”

“Hey, you two!” Vandham said, walking up to the pair from where he was sitting. “Gimme a look at that!” Before they could reply, he bent down and began studying the pair’s wounds. The cut on Rex’s leg was present in roughly the same spot on Pyra’s own, and vice versa with the gash on her arm.

“What is this?” Vandham asked, standing straight and staring between the two of them. “Haven’t seen this before. If a Blade’s crystal’s in one piece and their Driver’s alive, nothing can touch ‘em. So why’re you all bashed up? And why are the wounds the same as Rex’s?”

“So you noticed, huh?” Pyra sighed. “The one nice thing about having Rex for a Driver is that he doesn’t ask too many questions.”

“What do you mean?” Rex asked. “I noticed during the fight with Mòrag, but I assumed this was another “the rules don’t apply” situation. This doesn’t usually happen to you?”

“No.” Pyra replied. “This is a first for me as well. And I think it’s because of the life force I gave you when we first met.”

“The what?” Vandham asked. “Come again?”

“Blades don’t take wounds if their core’s in one piece. But mine isn’t. When Rex and I first met, he was dying. I traded him half of my Core Crystal, my life force, in exchange for his word that he’d take me to Elysium.”

“That’s what this is.” Rex tapped the crystal on his chest. “It’s the only thing keeping my heart from giving out.”

“Incredible.” Vandham took a step back. “Never heard of such a thing. I just thought it was an accessory.”

“Vandham, that’s not my style.” Rex replied. “This is just how the chips fell. It is what it is.”

“What it is, is a problem.” Vandham crossed his arms. “It seems to me like if one of you kicks the bucket, you both do.”

“Is that true?” Rex asked, raising an eyebrow at Pyra.

“Don’t get any bright ideas.” She replied. “I could still take it back if I wanted to. Doesn’t change your position in the slightest.”

“Not why I was asking. Vandham said that a good Driver always protects their Blade. I guess that just means I’ll have to be a little better than the rest, doesn’t it?”

“Easier said than done, kid.” Vandham sighed.

“It’ll have to be done, whether it’s easy or not.” Rex smirked. “I don’t have a choice. Until I get Pyra to the World Tree, I’m pretty much living for her sake.”

“Going to Elysuim, are we?” A voice asked. “I can’t let that stand.”

Nia’s ears perked up at the sound, and she began growling. She jumped up from grooming Dromarch’s fur and grabbed her twin rings. Nia’s reaction prompted the rest of the group to turn and look for the newcomer. Akhos stood by the entrance to the training grounds, with Obrona floating close behind him.

“It won’t do.” Akhos continued, slowly walking toward the group. “A bunch of amateurs stealing the show? The script exists for a reason.”

“Akhos!” Nia said, keeping her rings hidden behind Dromarch’s form. The rest of the group tensed up, and people began grabbing their weapons.

“Please speak only when spoken to, traitor.” Akhos scoffed, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“Traitor traitor traitor!” Obrona repeated in sing-song, dancing around Akhos. “Nia, you’re one of the baddies now! You villain!” She began laughing.

“Is that what Malos and Jin told you?” Nia asked. “For the record, I didn’t betray anyone. It was quite the other way around, as I recall.”

“Then why do you stand with them?” Akhos asked. “You know how long we’ve been searching for the Aegis, and yet you’d keep her from us? You think that rabble is where you belong?”

“Who’re these goons?” Vandham asked.

“Torna.” Rex said, tightening the grip on his sword. “They’re trying to get their hands on Pyra.”

“Torna?!” Vandham shouted. He drew a scythe with one hand and gave a sharp whistle with his other. Nearby, several Drivers, Yew and Zuo included, snapped their attention to the training grounds. Some began drawing weapons while others started ushering civilians away.

“Akhos!” Nia hissed. “Just tell us what you’re here for!”

“Well, the Aegis, of course.” Akhos replied. “I just had to come and see the leading lady with my own eyes.”

“Jin put you up to this?”

“Well deduced.” Akhos smiled. “Oh, and by the way. His orders were to deal with you in whatever manner I see fit. So, you know what that means.”

“He…” Nia broke her gaze with Akhos and lowered her rings. “I guess I should have expected as much. I was just hoping-”

“Did you think he would still care about you?” Akhos asked. “Oh, to live in your reality. Unfortunately, your part in this play is coming to an end. So!” He drew a pair of twin swords from his belt. “Time for you to shuffle off the stage.”

“Not gonna happen!” Vandham shouted. “You Torna scum have killed your last Driver!” He drew his other scythe and jumped forward, slashing at Akhos’s throat. Akhos blocked the strike with one of his swords and steadied his glasses with his free hand.

“Vandham?” Rex asked, drawing his sword. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Torna are Driver hunters.” Vandham spat. “They make a sport out of it, and they’ve taken the lives of many good people in the process. Including some of my crew. All because of their sick obsession with Core Crystals.”

“Guilty as charged.” Akhos chuckled. “Though maybe guilty isn’t the word I’d use. That implied we’ve done something wrong.”

“Why you little-” Vandham grunted, swinging his free scythe up at Akhos’s chin. Akhos blocked the second strike as well. He then kicked Vandham in the chest, sending him flying back into the group. Sparks of electricity danced up and down Akhos’s leg as he lowered it. Yew, Zuo, and half a dozen other Drivers rushed forward, but Vandham gave another whistle. They stopped in their tracks and waited for Vandham to recover.

“Don’t.” He wheezed. “This one’s out of your league. Just get everyone out of the village. I’ll deal with him myself.”

“Right.” Yew and Zuo nodded in unison. They and the other Drivers backed away from the fight, directing civilians into a field of paddies behind the village.

“Smart choice.” Akhos nodded. “But we can’t make this too easy on them.” He stretched out his sword toward a nearby tent. Instantly, a bolt of electricity jumped from his weapon to the tent, lighting the canvass on fire. Several more bolts fired from his weapon in quick succession, and soon half the village was going up in flames.

“You insolent…” Vandham set his teeth and turned to the group. “Are you ready?”

“Ready.” Rex said. His sword was already drawn, and Pyra began supplying it with power. Tora similarly drew his weapon, and Nia raised hers .

“He’s a tough one.” She said as the group began to spread out around Akhos. “His Blade Obrona can manipulate the ether in the air. It lets him counter elemental attacks by generating fields of the opposite element.”

“Finally.” Vandham smirked. “A decent opponent for a change. Let’s go!”

He rushed forward with another attack. Wind ether rippled around his scythes as he swung them at Akhos’s head. Akhos’s blades lit up, rapidly cooling the air around them with an ice ether field. Vandham’s wind ether died down as he neared Akhos, giving his opponent just enough space to duck under his attack. As Vandham’s attack passed overhead, Akhos darted to the side, slashing at Vandham’s leg with one blade as he moved around him toward Rex and Pyra.

Tora opened fire on Akhos with a barrage of Boom Biters as he ran. Akhos jumped into the air, carried by a gust of wind ether, and soared directly above the explosive projectiles. As he reached the crest of his ascent, Nia jumped up to meet him, slashing her twin rings at his chest. The wind ether around him changed, and he flew just underneath Nia’s strike. As he passed below her, he stuck his swords through the loops of her rings and threw her over his head into the ground behind him. The pair of them landed on their feet, Akhos immediately running for Rex again while Nia took a moment to recover from the impact. Rex ran forward to meet him, fire ether streaming from the end of his sword. Akhos’s swords unleashed a torrent of water ether and completely canceled out Rex’s attack, throwing up a cloud of steam in the process.

Akhos jumped through the steam, slashing his swords at where Rex had been. They collided against the side of Tora’s shield. Rex rolled out from behind Tora and slashed up at Akhos’s head. He jumped back, the attack barely grazing his chin. As he flew, he slammed headlong into Vandham’s scythes. The weapons, thrown to slice through his back, cut through his armor with little difficulty. As soon as the weapons impacted Akhos’s skin, however, they were deflected back at Vandham, who had managed to get feet back underneath him.

“Too many of these bit players.” Akhos clicked his tongue. “Obrona!”

“Right!” She shouted, flying up above the battlefield and positioning herself above the space between Akhos and Rex. She unfurled the cloak around her into a set of wings and began spinning, throwing out wave after wave of shifting ether energy into the air. That ether formed a barrier, trapping Rex, Pyra, and Akhos in a bubble against the cavern wall while the rest of the group was kept outside. Rex ran forward to strike Akhos before he could act, but Akhos parried his strike. Rex immediately planted his sword into the ground, sending out a wave of fire ether. Instead of countering it, Akhos simply kicked Rex’s sword, sending him flying almost into the wall of the barrier. Rex tensed, expecting Akhos to follow up with another attack. Instead, he turned toward Pyra.

“Such an honor!” He shouted, spreading his arms wide. “Sharing a stage with the legendary Aegis!” As the last word left his mouth, he launched himself at Pyra with a wave of ether. As they collided, he slashed her chest with his swords. She screamed, and the attack threw her back against the cavern wall. Rex tried to run to Pyra’s aid, but the wound she took manifested on his own chest, throwing him off balance. He grunted as he doubled over, fighting through the pain to stay on his feet.

“What’s this?” Akhos asked, turning his attention to Rex momentarily. “Why would that hurt the Driver as well?”

“It seems they’re taking each other’s damage, somehow!” Obrona shouted.

“Ah!” Akhos smiled. “So that means the Aegis is a mere mortal right now.” He locked his eyes on Pyra, who had just begun to recover from his attack. “In that case, a little more damage and she’ll be easy to deal with!” Akhos lunged forward, aiming the tip of his sword straight for Pyra’s head. She ducked out of the way at the last moment, and it stuck into the rock behind her. Without missing a beat, Akhos began dragging the sword toward her, a twisted grin beginning to betray itself on his face. As he pulled his sword free from the rock, he slashed at her head. She ducked underneath and rolled in the opposite direction of his momentum. As she got to her feet, he brought his other sword around and struck her across her temple. She fell back against the wall, and he slashed her across the chest with his swords again. She screamed and fell to her knees, her ether flow growing erratic.

“Pyra!” Rex screamed. He tried to take a step forward, but the pain forced him to his knees as well. He didn’t maintain balance as he fell, and he fell forward, his forehead slamming against the ground. Akhos smirked as he stood over Pyra, his swords pulled back for another strike. Right when he was about to unleash it, however, a stream of water ether cut through a section of Obrona’s barrier that was, at the time, made of fire. A blast of wind ether flew through immediately, knocking Akhos off balance and causing him to miss his attack.

“Kids these days, I swear.” Vandham shook his head as he walked through the hole in the barrier, Roc flying in behind him. “Can’t leave you alone for a minute.”

“We could use a hand, if you’re done with the quips.” Rex said, struggling to his feet.

“Leave it to me.” Vandham grinned. “I’ll take this dog down!” He spun around and threw forward a mass of wind ether at Akhos. As it flew, it grew into a miniature cyclone, enveloping him. Akhos froze the air around his swords and cut through the ether, dissipating it. In the time that took, however, Vandham threw his scythes up to Roc, who began forming a swirling mass of wind ether the size of Obrona’s barrier. It started tossing her around, and she was unable to keep her ether field up. She toppled out of the sky and landed next to Akhos, and as she fell the barrier began to break down. The wind ether followed her, settling over her and her Driver. Akhos tried to disrupt Roc’s attack but couldn’t summon the necessary ice field with his swords.

“What’s happening?” He shouted.

“The ether flow’s disturbed!” Obrona replied. “I can’t operate like this!”

“You and your fancy moves.” Vandham shouted. “You lack grit!” At those words, Akhos jumped through the storm around him and slashed at Vandham’s throat. Before he could arrive at his target, however, Dromarch leapt at him, blocking his strike with the twin rings clutched in his mouth. In the same moment, he unleashed a torrent of water ether, sending Akhos flying back into a crate of supplies at the far end of the training yard. Akhos rolled to his feet and adjusted his glasses.

“My interest has waned.” He said, slashing one of his swords in time with an upturn of his chin. “Obrona, perhaps it’s time for another tale.” He turned and began walking away from the training yard.

“Sure, sure…” She sighed, folding her wings back around her and following behind Akhos. The two of them leapt into the air, carried by gusts of wind ether toward the village’s exit. Before anyone could pursue, they were out of sight. Nia and Vandham both grunted in frustration as Akhos escaped. Pyra attempted to stand from where she’d collapsed but didn’t make it two steps before she fell over unconscious.

“Pyra!” Rex shouted, dropping his sword and running to her side. “Pyra! Pyra!” He continued to shout her name as he reached her. He cradled her unconscious body and tried repeatedly to rouse her to no avail.

-

Pyra lay in bed in one of the few remaining tents left in the village. Her condition had stabilized, but she was yet to regain consciousness. Nia, Tora, Poppi, Dromarch, and even Gramps all waited around the room for her to wake up. Rex, however, didn’t. He waited just outside, nervously pacing back and forth. He only stopped when he felt Vandham’s hand on his shoulder.

“How’s the village?” He asked, not turning around to look Vandham in the eye.

“Yew and Zuo managed to get everyone out in time.” Vandham said. “None of the civilians got hurt. I’m more concerned about what’s going on here. How is she?”

“It isn’t life threatening.” Rex said. “At least that’s something. Dromarch says she just needs rest.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“I just… after all that talk about how I was going to protect her. And here we are.” He clenched his fists. “I feel so useless. That guy, Akhos… He walked over me like I wasn’t even there. How do you fight a guy like that?”

“Why’re you out here?” Vandham asked.

“Come again?” Rex turned around.

“Why aren’t you in there with the rest of them.” Vandham pointed into the room. “When she wakes up, don’t you think she’d want you by her side too?”

“No, I don’t.” Rex shook his head. “I’m just one disappointment after another. I don’t even want to be here at all, and she knows that. If I disappeared, I can’t help but think she’d be relieved.”

“So, is that what you’re going to do? Disappear?”

“What? No!” Rex shouted. “I’d never do that to them, they…” Rex trailed off. “They’d kill me if I did, I imagine.”

“So it’s only out of fear of death you’ve stuck with them this long?”

“That’s not what I meant. I was just stating facts.”

“But I image you’ve thought about leaving before. Walking away, not looking back. I bet it’d make your life much simpler.”

“I am not going to run away.”

“Then why are you out here?”

“I am not a coward!” He screamed, slamming his fists into Vandham’s chest. “I just… I’m not used to this. Having people rely on me. I’ve tried, before, but no one’s ever really put their life in my hands. I’m…” He choked back a sob and rested his forehead against Vandham’s chest. “I’m scared.”

“Come here.” Vandham said, drawing Rex into a bear hug. Rex hitched a few sobs as Vandham did his best to comfort him.

“I’m sorry.” Rex said, doing his best to put on a smile as he pushed out of Vandham’s embrace. He wiped some tears from his eyes.

“Nothing to apologize for.” Vandham shook his head. “The whole world’s after you, it’s pretty understandable. But it’s going to be alright.”

“I’m beginning to really doubt that.”

“It’s really up to you.” Vandham shrugged. “Are you going to let what happened today happen again?”

“I’ll do my best, but…” Rex shook his head. “I don’t know what more I can do.”

“You could start by accepting Pyra.”

“I’m… not sure I follow.”

“Let me put it like this, then. Akhos and I probably seem pretty different. As different as two people can be. I fight for my village, he seems to fight only for himself. I’ve got principles, and he’s got none. He’s a cold-blooded killer, and I… like to think I’ve grown past that. And those differences are what people tend to latch onto. They see their own way of doing things as justice and use their differences as an excuse to wage war. But, when it comes down to it, the only thing that matters in a fight is power. Part of that is just how much power you have, but another is how much you’re willing to use. What you’re willing to do for the sake of the fight. It doesn’t matter how right you think you are, if your opponent has stronger convictions than you, they’re liable to win the day. That Akhos fella, he’s got something he’s fighting for desperately, even if we don’t know what it is. But it’s given him tremendous power. And power can take many forms. It depends on the heart of its wielder. If we don’t use that power, just ‘cause we’re scared of it, we’re done for. I know what that’s like, and so do you. If you want to keep what happened today from happening again, you need to be absolutely sure you’re willing to fight. And you need to fight harder, longer, and more desperately than anyone and everyone else. And that starts by admitting that you need Pyra’s power. You need to stop running away from this.”

“I…” Rex clenched and un-clenched his fists a few times. “I think maybe I understand what you’re trying to say. A little.”

“We all got our own war, kid.” Vandham smiled. “I think it’s about time you start fighting yours.”

“My war…” Rex said. He looked into the room where everyone else was waiting for Pyra to wake up. “I…” He turned back to Vandham. “Thanks. For everything.”

“Don’t mention it.” Vandham clapped Rex on the back as he left the tent. “That’s what friends are for, after all.” Rex watched the man leave. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he stepped into the room.

-

Pyra’s eyes flickered open. There was no light streaming through the window, and the sky outside was dark. Despite that, Rex was sitting beside her bed. He had one of her hands clasped in his, and his head rested on her lap. He’d fallen asleep waiting for her to wake up.

“Good morning.” She croaked, still groggy. Rex’s head snapped up off her lap in an instant.

“Pyra!” He shouted. “You’re awake! Thank goodness.” He let go of her hand as she sat up. “For a while there I was worried you weren’t going to wake up.”

“Worried?” Pyra asked. “If I didn’t wake up, you’d be off the hook. You wouldn’t have to risk your life taking me to Elysium. I’d have thought you’d be disappointed I woke up.”

“Don’t joke like that.” Rex pouted. “It’s not funny. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“It’s sweet of you, to wait on me like this.” She smiled.

“Well what’d you expect.” Rex smiled back. “I didn’t have a-” He stopped himself. “I didn’t protect you like I said, and that’s on me. But I’m going to do better, I promise you.”

“Don’t beat yourself up. You did all you could.”

“That’s not true.” He shook his head. “I didn’t fight as hard as I could have. Didn’t press the advantage when we had it. I was focusing on keeping myself alive, and when it mattered I couldn’t do anything to stop you getting hurt.”

“I’m feeling better now.” Pyra slid out from under the bed’s sheets and stood up. “See? Fit as a fiddle. I’m fine.”

“This time, maybe.” Rex sighed. “But who knows how things’ll go the next time we have a run in with Torna. I’m going to do my best, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stop them. Are you really comfortable trusting a guy like me to be your Driver?”

“A week ago I didn’t have a choice.” Pyra replied. “But now that we’ve spent some time together… You put your life on the line fighting Mòrag. And as hard headed and rude as you are, there’s some part of you that reminds me of an old friend of mine. So yes, I’ll trust you as my Driver.”

“Good.” Rex nodded. “Then I promise I won’t fail again. From here on out, I’m going to be a real Driver. For however long this takes, I’ll see you through safely to your destination. Even if it’s impossible to reach.”

“That means a lot. Thank you.” The two of them stood in silence for a moment. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but where is this coming from?”

“Vandham and I had a conversation. And I realized that, even though I told myself I had accepted being your Driver, I didn’t really mean it. And if the fight against Akhos was any indication, that isn’t going to cut it. I need to get serious about this, for both our sakes.”

“Ever the pragmatist.” Pyra shook her head.

“Beg pardon?”

“Never mind. We should go see the others, figure out our next move.” As Pyra turned toward the exit, Nia walked into the room with Dromarch in tow.

“Hey Rex.” She whispered. “There’s something I- Pyra!” She shouted. She lunged forward and wrapped Pyra in a hug. “You’re awake!”

“Hey Nia.” Pyra replied. “Sorry I made you guys worry so much.”

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Nia said, breaking the hug. “It’s Akhos who’s at fault. Next time we run into him, I’ll give him a proper beating for you.”

“Nia.” Rex coughed. “I hate to interrupt, but you wanted to talk to me about something?”

“Right. There’s no easy way to say this.” She drew in a large breath before continuing, as if preparing herself. “I need your help.”

“Well this is a first.” Rex crossed his arms. “What do you need?”

“I need to talk with Vandham. Tell him about my past with Akhos and all that lot.”

“Why do you need my help for that?”

“Well, he’s… I’m not going to lie, he’s a little intimidating. And the two of you seem to get along pretty well. I was just thinking you being there could help things go smoother if he doesn’t take it well.”

“Vandham’s not that kind of guy, but…” Rex thought for a moment. “If you want me there, sure. I’ll come.”

“Thanks.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I think I saw him over by the marketplace, overseeing some of the rebuilding. If you’re good to go now, then…”

“Yeah.” Rex shrugged. “Lead the way.” The four of them left the tent Pyra had been sleeping in and crossed the village to the marketplace. The stalls had all been burned to the ground, and most of the produce along with them. Several villagers, Driver, and Blades were clearing away the wreckage and putting up new material. Vandham stood off to the side, observing. He caught sight of the party as they approached.

“Oh, it’s you guys!” He shouted, walking over to them. “What got you out of bed so early?”

“Nia?” Rex asked as the group and Vandham met up. “Your show. You start.”

“Right.” Nia nodded. “Vandham, I wanted to say thanks for yesterday. You saved our skins. So it’s only right that you know. That guy, Akhos, I mean… I wanted to tell you about him. You see…” She looked down for a moment. “Thing is, we used to be-”

“Being a mercenary…” Vandham interrupted her. “You meet all kindsa different folks. Your country, family, money… People got plenty of reasons to fight. Like fighting for a special girl. I see that a lot. Though not every girl has a strange crystal in her chest, eh?” He elbowed Rex.

“Piss off, Vandham.” Rex rolled his eyes. He blushed, despite himself. Vandham just chuckled.

“Nia, you’re with these guys now.” He continued. “That’s what matters.”

“Maybe so. Maybe to you.” Nia shook her head. “But Torna’s still out there, and they’ll be back. I know more about them than anyone else. Who they are, how they operate, what they can do.”

“And I’m sure you’ll tell me all about them when we have the time.” Vandham said. “But right now, you guys still need a plan to reach Elysium.”

“With a monster like that thing in the way, it’s impossible.” Rex responded. “Can’t make it within a thousand peds of the World Tree. We’d need more firepower than the Ardainian military if we want to take it down.”

“Well I’ve got an old mate in Fonsa Myma. Got a feeling he might know a way through.”

“We can’t impose on you any further than we already have.” Rex said. “I appreciate the offer, but I won’t ask you to go out of your way to help us again, when it’s already cost you most of your village.”

“The buildings needed replacing anyway.” Vandham waved him off. “No one got hurt. And, as it just so happens, I’m going to the capital anyhow. Need to drop off that job we completed and pick up some more building supplies for the village. While I’m there, I could introduce you if you wanted to tag along.”

“I won’t ask you to-”

“This idiot doesn’t know when to quit.” Nia said, slapping Rex on the back of the head. “We’ll take you up on that offer. Thank you again.”

“Nah!” Vandham smiled, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s destiny or something. Don’t sweat it. We’re heading out at first light, so you might want to wake Tora first.” He turned and started walking toward the training ground. “Get your stuff together and meet me by the village entrance.”

-

Half an hour later, the group stood in front of the wooden gates separating Garfont Village from the rest of Uraya. Tora hadn’t completely woken up yet, but Poppi was wide awake. Vandham had found Roc, and the two of them were addressing their subordinates before heading out.

“Yew! Zuo!” Vandham bellowed at the two men in front of him. “We’re heading out. Take care of this place, yeah?”

“Nae worries.” Yew replied. “Leave it to us, boss!”

“Boss.” Zuo saluted. “You’re in a good mood somehow.”

“I guess so!” Vandham laughed. “We’ll be a few days, so you take care until then.” He turned and began walking out of the village. The rest of the group waved goodbye to Yew and Zuo and followed after him. As they left the village, two cloaked figures watched their progress from behind a nearby rock. One of them, wielding a comically large sword, smiled at the other, and they moved to keep pace with the group, making sure to stay out of sight.

-

In the middle of the Cloud Sea, an Ardainian Titan Battleship sailed amidst a growing storm. Inside, alarms were blaring, and soldiers ran frantically through the halls. The ship’s power was flickering inconsistently, several of the more advanced electronics sparking and shorting out. Through the chaos, Jin walked calmly, his sword drawn. As he passed soldiers, he struck them down with the most casual of movements. As bodies fell, soldiers took up positions and began firing at him. He moved through the air with an unnatural swiftness, dodging each bullet and cutting the soldiers down before they could react further.

He turned a corner and came face to face with half a dozen Drivers, each flanked by their Blades. They charged forward, attempting to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. In an instant, he stood on the other side of them. A moment later, his attacks caught up with him, tearing through the Drivers and cutting them all down before they could so much as unleash one attack. Their Blades, confused, all returned to their cores mere moments later. He walked up to the heavy metal door the Drivers were guarding and slashed it once. Three strikes appeared on the door, and it fell to pieces.

He walked over the rubble and into the room beyond. Covering the walls all around him were hundreds of Core Crystals, each glowing and ready for resonance. He looked them all over for a moment before nodding to himself. Moments later, the Titan Battleship was rocked with a series of explosions, knocking out its engines and sending it sinking to the depths of the Cloud Sea.

-

The group left the series of caverns in Uraya’s head that Garfont Village was situated in and entered Uraya’s stomach. It was a vast open expanse, stretching most of the length of the titan’s body. They walked along a cliff overlooking the area, but most of the ground below them was made up of vast pools of liquid that served as Uraya’s many stomach chambers. At the far end of the stomach, a great stone staircase rose up to the nation’s capital city, anchored onto the back of Uraya’s spine where it met the wall of the stomach’s cavity. As the group walked, taking in the sights, a man’s voice began echoing off the rocks, filling the group’s ears with the sound of laughter.

“Looks like all the chat about the Aegis was true!” The man said. The party stopped.

“Who’re you?” Rex asked as everyone began looking around to identify the speaker. As if from nowhere, two hooded individuals stepped out in front of the group and stood in matching poses.

The man wore a black waistcoat and pants with metal pauldrons and kneepads. His sleeves were rolled up and he wore elbow-length fingerless gloves. His waistcoat came almost down to his feet and was torn up across the bottom. It was left open, exposing the center of his torso. His stomach was entirely covered with various belts layered on top of one another from his waist to his abs. One belt stretched all the way across his chest and over his right shoulder like a strap. Otherwise, his chest was left bare. His face was shrouded by a hood attached to his waistcoat, and he had strapped a double-edged greatsword almost as tall as he was to his back.

The woman wore a similar hood to hide her face, this one attached to a black shawl. The rest of her outfit was a black shirt and short shorts with purple highlights and frills. A purple heart was sewn into the middle of her shirt, and below it a purple bow. She had knee-high high-heeled black boots with purple hearts sewn down the middle. Each boot was tipped with an oversized copper-toned glass lightbulb. She had black and purple frilled gloves that went to her elbows. Her shoulders were made of shoulder-shaped lightbulbs of similar construction to the ones on her boots. A swatch of purple frills dangled off the back of her waist, and out from it slinked a thin tail, tipped with yet another lightbulb, this one squatter and more rectangular than the others.

“That’s a heavy burden you have there.” The man continued. “Sure you’re up to it, pipsqueak?” The two looked at each other and nodded before returning their attention to the group. “See sense, step aside, and let the big boys take charge.” They took a step forward. Moving in sync, they began flashing a series of poses at the party, the woman copying the man’s actions. “C’mon.” The man pointed with one hand while rearing the other behind his head in a grasping motion. “Yield the merchandise!” He swaggered his pointing finger before clutching his hand into a fist and shaking it at the group.

“What?” Rex asked, his jaw hanging open and his eyes squinting. “Vandham, do you know this guy?”

“Never seen him in my life.” Vandham shook his head and crossed his arms. He looked down at the pair disapprovingly.

“Bah!” The man shouted. The pair threw off their hoods, the woman discarding her entire shawl as well. He had black, messy hair, and an eyepatch. She had green hair, pointed ears, thick round wire-frame glasses, and a top hat made of yet another lightbulb. The pair looked at the group with a satisfied grin.

“Wait…” Rex said, pointing at the man and studying his face. “Are you…?” The man let out a satisfied chuckle as Rex tried to piece together his identity. After a moment, Rex dropped his hand. “Uh…” He said, unsure of the pair’s identity. At that, they both pantomimed falling backward, raising their hands with pained expressions. After a moment, they recovered.

“You really are a bunch of rinky-dink, bogus, two-bit, no-mark Drivers, aren’t you?” The man asked, swaggering forward and throwing up his hands momentarily. “Behold the mighty Zeke!” He began jabbing his thumb toward his chest and punctuating each word. “Von! Genbu! Bringer of Chaos! Mostly knows as Zeke! And often addressed as…” He took a step back and flourished his hands. “THE ZEKENATOR!”

“Behold my Blade!” He continued, motioning toward the woman. “Pandoria! And this is my sword,” He drew the greatsword from his back with one hand despite its weight, slinging it over his shoulder, “The Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher!” As he swung it, the edge of the blade began to glow bright blue, as did many blue channels along the blade’s length. “If you want a taste, come and get it!” He swung the sword off his shoulder, grabbing the handle with his free hand and leveling it at the party. No one moved for a moment while his smug expression lingered.

“We’re good.” Rex eventually said, shaking his head and walking forward past Zeke. The rest of the group followed quickly behind him.

“Good?!” Zeke exclaimed, frantically looking around. “No! w-wait!” He stammered. He and Pandoria ran around to the front of the group again, kicking up a trail of dust. “Wait you barbarians!”

“This guy…” Nia sighed. “I’m tired of him already.” She glared at him as she finished.

“Gah!” Zeke spat, looking around the group. “You think you lowlifes can lick the three of us?”

“Three of you?” Nia asked. “I count two. Lost someone?”

“Huh?” Zeke and Pandoria looked around for a moment. “Oh, get a load of this. Our beloved mascot… Turters!” Zeke shouted, reaching into his coat. “Reveal yourself!” Nothing happened. After a moment, he began feeling around his coat frantically.

“…Huh? Turters? Turters?!” Zeke began patting down his entire body while Pandoria looked on worriedly. “Turters, where are you, boy? Turterrrrs!” Zeke called out, cupping one shaking hand to his mouth. Pyra glanced around and noticed a small creature at her feet.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, bending down to pick it up. It was a small green turtle, no bigger than the palm of her hand. She put her hand out, and it walked right on. “Hello little guy!” She smiled. “How are you? What’re you doing out here all alone?” She brought it up to eye level and began patting it on the head.

“Ah-ah-ah!” Zeke stammered, standing up from where he’d been crouched on the ground and pointing furiously at Pyra. “Turters!” She scurried up to Pyra before anyone could react and snatched the turtle out of her hand. “Handling a man’s turtle!” He exclaimed, eye full of fury. He scurried back to Pandoria’s side just as quickly as he’d arrived and showed her Turters. The two of them began gushing and fawning over him with jubilant expressions.

“…He could have just grabbed Pyra there.” Rex said. “Why’d he go for his turtle instead?” He looked back at the rest of the group, but they just shrugged.

“Ugh.” Nia shook her head. “What an idiot.” At that, Zeke snapped back to focus. He pursed his lips and twitched for several seconds.

“Gah!” He finally exclaimed, letting go of his tension. “Listen, whatever. She’ll be mine soon enough!” He returned to pointing at Pyra before pointing back to himself. Pandoria for her part began motioning toward Zeke to accentuate his words. “Got a problem with that? Then come at me! And don’t hold back!” He swung his sword over his head and leveled it at the group once more. He flashed Pyra his best “charming” smile.

“What?!” Nia shouted, “Is this guy for real?”

“We don’t have time for this.” Rex sighed, rolling his eyes. He started to walk past Zeke again. The rest of the group did the same, eliciting a collective smirk from Zeke and Pandoria.

“Very well.” Zeke said. “If you’re not man enough to make the first move, I suppose the task falls to the Zekenator!” He swung his sword directly at Rex as he passed by. Right before he took the hit, Rex raised his sword and blocked the strike. The impact sent Rex tumbling back into Tora, knocking them both off their feet. Nia and Vandham immediately drew their weapons and charged Zeke. He swung his sword up to meet Nia’s rings, launching her into the air as she neared him. She threw one of her twin rings at him as she sailed over Vandham’s head. Zeke ran forward, slashing his sword at Vandham’s feet with one hand and jumping after Nia. He slid his free arm through the hole in the ring as it passed overhead, catching it by the handle and landing behind Vandham. He brought the ring down on Nia’s head and swung his sword around behind him to strike at Vandham’s chest.

Vandham caught the edge of the greatsword in between his scythes, and Nia caught the ring as it descended, cutting her glove. She gripped the edge of it and ripped it out of Zeke’s hand, her claws digging into the material slightly. Zeke shifted his grip on his greatsword’s handle, and the blade shot off, leaving behind the baton-esque handle. The blade of the greatsword shot forward at Vandham, and he dodged out of the way. It grazed one of his vest’s pouches and continued sailing. Pandoria casually grabbed it out of the air with one hand as Zeke twirled around the baton in his hand. Sparks of lightning began lancing out from the head, striking the ground around the party. He turned as Nia and Vandham backed away from him and leveled the baton at Pyra.

Right as a blast of lightning broke from the end of it, Rex jumped up from where he’d landed and placed his sword in between Zeke and Pyra. The lightning struck it, almost knocking it out of Rex’s hand. He managed to maintain his grip and move himself in front of Pyra. Zeke ran forward, swinging the baton at Rex’s side, He parried the strike with his sword and shot his anchor at Zeke’s feet, sticking it into the ground. Zeke jumped back, pulling his legs free from any potential hazards. Right as he did, Rex clenched his fist, collapsing the anchor’s prongs, reeling it in, and kicking up a spray of dirt. Zeke averted his eyes momentarily to avoid the spray, and Rex lunged forward, swinging his sword at Zeke’s head. Zeke blocked the strike with his baton, and Rex’s anchor whipped around behind his head, carried forward by the momentum of Rex’s swing. Zeke blasted the anchor away from him with a lightning strike and reared his hand back to punch Rex.

Tora sprung up from where he had fallen and charged Zeke, his drill fully extended. As Zeke’s fist moved forward toward Rex, his greatsword’s blade tore free from Pandoria’s grasp and traveled back to him, blocking Tora’s incoming strike and sailing toward Pyra. Rex slid his sword along the handle of the baton, jumping out of the way of Zeke’s punch and sending a wave of fire blasting at the greatsword’s blade, knocking it off target. Pyra rolled out of the way as it impacted the wall near her head. Zeke rushed forward and jammed the end of his baton back into the greatsword’s blade, reforming his original weapon. He tried to swing it through the rock at Pyra, but Poppi jumped in front of him, kicking him in the stomach and sending him toward Tora. He flew, coattails flapping in the wind. He spun around and swung his sword at Tora’s shield. Tora retracted his drill and braced for the impact. The two weapons collided, sending out a wave of electricity dancing across the ground in several directions.

Tora pushed his shield up as the attack connected, throwing Zeke back into the air. As he reached the crest of his ascent, a wave of water ether slammed into him from one direction, shot from Dromarch’s mouth, while a wave of wind ether hit him from another, unleashed by Roc’s wings. He spiraled in midair and began to fall, spinning his sword around himself as he did. Electricity began crackling along the edge, and he slammed it down onto Tora’s shield once again. This time, the angel of his attack sent Tora flying into Poppi, knocking the pair over. Zeke landed in a crouch, one hand against the ground while the other extended his sword behind him. Instantly Nia and Vandham rushed him again before he could stand. He lunged forward at Vandham, and the older man planted his feet. Their weapons collided, ether flying in all directions as Zeke ground to a halt. He smirked, flipping backward out of Vandham’s range as Nia charged with her rings drawn. He landed on Nia’s shoulders, and she stumbled, barely able to hold his weight. He stood to his full height and leveled his sword at Vandham.

Before he could do anything else, Rex jumped up and swung at him again, finally catching Zeke in the side of the chest. Before Zeke could react, Rex sent out a wave of fire from his sword, blasting Zeke back toward Pandoria. Roc swooped down on Zeke before he could recover, grabbing the handle of his greatsword and lifting it into the air. Zeke hung on by one hand and grabbed Pandoria with the other. He channeled a blast of lightning through his sword, sending Roc flying over the edge of the cliff he had intended to drop the pair over. He recovered quickly, returning to Vandham’s side as the two landed at the cliff’s edge.

“G-Good try.” Zeke panted as he found his footing. “Not bad. B-b-but!” He relaxed his stance and resumed his smirk. “Wipe yourselves down and get ready for my super-ultra-mega-move!” He furiously pointed at the party. His uncovered eye began twitching involuntarily.

“We’re waiting with bated breath.” Nia said, putting her hand on her hips. “For your super-duper-whatever.”

“You asked for it!” Zeke screamed, grinning from ear to ear. His entire body began crackling with electricity. He swung around his greatsword, and a constant stream of lightning burst forth from the edge, cloaking the entire weapon in ether energy. The electricity began spreading out into the air, forcing the entire party back.

“Bringer of Chaos!” Zeke shouted, lifting his sword skyward with one hand. “Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash!” He jumped into the air, reeling the weapon back over his head. The intensity of the lightning grew, and it began striking unprompted around the party. He descended, swinging his sword overhead and slamming the edge into the ground. A wave of lighting spewed forth from the weapon, carving the word “Ultimate” into the ground around him before traveling out across the rest of the cliff. The lightning faded, and Zeke raised his head, a satisfied look on his face. Suddenly, cracks began to form in the ground around him, spreading out from where his sword had dug into the rock. The entire cliff underneath his and Pandoria’s feet began to crumble away, and they fell screaming into a pool of water far below.

“Wh-what just happened?” Rex asked as the group stared dumbfounded at where Zeke had stood. “They…”

“What an idiot.” Nia sighed, putting her twin rings away.

“Don’t see that every day.” Vandham nodded.

“Come on.” Nia motioned for the group to continue walking. “That’s enough nonsense.”

“Indeed.” Dromarch nodded. The group left Zeke and Pandoria behind and continued their journey toward the capital.

-

After several hours of wandering through layered pools of liquid and over large natural bridges, the group finally reached the entrance to Uraya’s capital. It was off to one side of the Titan, the large staircase in the middle being reserved for the royalty and nobility. The entrance the party used was in the middle of a field of gromrice paddies being worked by dozens of Urayan citizens. Urayan soldiers in their bulky, Titan-hide, horn-tipped armor patrolled the outside of the gates, and a myriad of Titan warships flew overhead, each mostly consisting of an undercarriage supported by two horned flying Titans. Some docked at a port just outside the gate to unload supplies to the military, while others sailed over the city to a larger port on its other side. The city itself climbed up the side of the Titan, with the poorer and more artisan districts built into the rock below while the royal and noble quarters were anchored into the ceiling of the stomach cavity.

“Here we are!” Vandham announced as the group approached the gates. “Fonsa Myma. Capital of Uraya.”

“It certainly seems to be a hub of activity.” Gramps commented, looking around at all the people at work.

“War with Mor Ardain is looking more and more likely by the day.” Dromach said as they passed the port.

“Looks like they’ve expanded the military program.” Vandham nodded. “There’s a lot of Titan warships around…”

“These ships look different to normal ships.” Poppi observed.

“Yeah, we don’t muck about with our Titans much.” Vandham said. “No need for it. Urayans like things pretty natural.”

“I’ve seen a fair few Urayan ships before, back in Argentum.” Rex said, pausing to study one in detail. “It’s like the total opposite of how the Ardainians use them.”

“It’s one reason they’re always at each other’s throats.” Dromarch noted, stopping next to Rex.

“They’ve been like cats and dogs for a long time…” Gramps sighed.

“Well, from where I stand the Ardainians are worse.” Nia said. “All that metal’s just bad taste.”

“It’s easy to think that way.” Gramps turned around in Rex’s helmet and faced Nia. “But you’re not considering how the Titans themselves feel.”

“Don’t all those modifications hurt?”

“Not usually, no. I used to have a hut on my back and a crane stuck where the sun doesn’t shine, and I never felt bothered by them in the slightest. Not even when Rex fired up a grill on my shoulders.”

“Hey, you used to like that!” Rex interjected, frowning.

“Precisely my point.” Gramps nodded as the group passed beneath the city’s gates. “Many Titans stand to gain from some of the modifications humans make.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Nia shook her head. As the group walked, they passed by a line of people in front of a large wooden table. An Urayan soldier sat at the table handing out sacks to those in line.

“What’s that?” Rex asked, stopping again.

“It’s a distribution center.” Vandham said. “The government’s running low on supplies as they prepare for the war effort, so they try to ration out what little they have left over for the civilians. In practice, it’s just first come, first served.”

“Okay.” The soldier said, standing up from the table. “This’s the last one for today.” He took hold of a sack and pushed it forward. A girl at the front of the line with bright blue hair stepped forward to claim it. An Urayan Driver in much lighter plate armor than the soldiers shoved her aside and snatched the sack from the soldier’s hand. As the girl fell to the ground, Pyra ran to her side. The soldier stood up and reached for his weapon, but the Driver just sighed.

“Come on!” He shouted. “I’m a soldier too! Been busting my gut for this country!” He casually placed his hand against a pair of twin rings handing at his belt. “This should be going to me! Not the likes of her!” As the Driver shouted, the soldier across the table sighed and lowered his weapon. The girl stood up next to Pyra and looked at the Driver, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that!” The Driver shouted, turning to face her. “Respect your elders, you snot-nosed brat!”

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Pyra shouted, stepping in front of the girl and glaring at the Driver. “She’s just a child!”

“What?!” The Driver shouted. “Who the hell are you, anyway?!”

“Pyra…” Rex said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “This isn’t our business. Leave it.”

“Being a soldier isn’t just about barking orders.” Vandham said, walking up to the man and snatching the sack from his hands. “Sometimes you need to help someone weaker.”

“Why you…” The man growled and reached for his twin rings. Vandham headbutted the man, denting his helmet and sending him reeling back. The soldier on the other side of the table reached for his weapons again, but Vandham drew a badge from his clothes and flashed it at him. “Official mercenary business for military investigations. This man is under investigation for attempting to defraud the house of Selosia.” The soldier stood still for a moment before nodding. He withdrew a pair of handcuffs from a pouch on his belt and began cuffing the man.

“Who are you people?!” The Driver shouted. He looked around the group frantically as the soldier confiscated his weapons. “Wait…” His eyes locked onto Pyra’s chest. “Th-the color of that crystal! You’re…!” He bucked out of the soldier’s grasp and began scurrying up the stairs behind him away from the party. The soldier swore and ran after him.

“Not good.” Gramps said. “Others will be putting that together, before long.”

“The rumors about Pyra must’ve traveled pretty far.” Vandham sighed. “Even grunts like him have heard ‘em.”

“Sorry.” Pyra said. “I guess I should have used the cloak.”

“But who spread rumors?” Poppi asked.

“From what I hear, it’s some fancy-pants Nopon merchant.” Vandham said.

“Well that figures…” Rex shook his head. He paused. “Vandham, isn’t your catch getting away?”

“You mean that guy?” Vandham asked, pointing in the direction of the Driver. “The badge is real, but the rest of it was all a load of bull. They’ll figure it out in about an hour, and we’ll be long gone by then.”

“Excuse me, Mister Vandham?” The blue-haired girl said in a quiet voice.

“Uh?” Vandham asked, turning around. “Oh!” He exclaimed, picking the girl up and pulling her into a hug. “Well, if it isn’t Iona!” He set her down. “You grew a fair bit! How’s Grandpa Cole doing?”

She simply cast her eyes to the ground.

“Ah… Well, these outta help out a little.” He crouched down and handed Iona the sack he’d snatched from the Driver.

“Who’s this?” Rex asked.

“Her name’s Iona.” Vandham said, standing back up. “That old friend of mine takes care of her.”

“Hi Iona.” Pyra said, crouching down next to her. “Great to meet you! My name’s Pyra.”

“C’mon.” Vandham huffed, beginning to walk in the opposite direction the Driver had ran. “Let’s beat it before they figure out what happened.”

The group followed Vandham and Iona through the streets of Fonsa Myma as they ascended toward the top of the ridge the city was built around. About halfway up, they arrived at a building covered in posters advertising upcoming plays.

“Is this some kind of theater?” Dromarch asked as Vandham stopped in front of it.

“Yup.” Vandham replied, studying the posters on the walls. “The guy we’re here for leads the troupe here.” Iona broke from the group and ran inside, giving everyone a large wave before disappearing through the doors. “And right now…” Vandham walked up to one of the posters. “They’re in the middle of a show. Well?” He turned to the group. “Wanna take a quick peak?”

““The Heroic Adventures of Addam.”” Dromarch read off the poster Vandham stood next to. “Might be interesting.”

“I’ve never been to the theater before.” Rex smiled.

“Neither has Tora!” Tora began jumping up and down.

“Let’s do it!” Vandham shouted before catching himself. “Nice and quiet though. Looks like it’s pretty packed today.”

“Alright!” Rex shouted. Nia smacked him on the back of the head as they all walked inside. Pyra was the last to enter, looking visibly uncomfortable as she studied the poster.

As the group entered the theater hall, they spread out along the back row. Most of the rest of the seats were filled up. They took theirs as piano music began to play and the narrator began speaking.

“And I saw at the time that the powers of darkness had engulfed almost everything!” A man in a purple masquerade mask began shouted from the corner of the stage. The stage itself was several constructions of stained glass spiking up from layers of cloth moving like the could sea. A wooden ship was built in the middle as the centerpiece. “People and Titans alike were drawn into the abyssal vortex! The apocalypse was upon us! The end was nigh! But then!” The man motioned to the stage where a figure in golden armor walked onto the ship. “Despite the wounds all over his body, the great Addam stood!”

“Oh Architect!” The Addam on stage shouted, raising his hands to the heavens. “Grant me power!” He raised a golden sword. “Power to banish the dark! Power to illuminate the world!” As Addam spoke, men in black, flowing cloaks with red glowing eyes and elongated arms rose from underneath the clouds. One stood a head taller than the rest and was covered in spines. Addam leapt from the side of the ship and bared his sword against them. Then, from the sky descended a figure clad in white, with illustrious wings and a crown of gold.

“Lo!” Addam exclaimed as lights began to shine on the stage. “Loyal servant of the Architect! The Aegis! O Aegis! Bless me with your power! Bring light upon the world!” At Addam’s words, the Aegis on stage threw forth a spray of golden material, and the ground beneath the feet of the shadow men caught fire. They collapsed, shaking their fists toward the sky before lying still.

“Thus, they defeated the darkness, and cast the Dark Aegis into the abyss.” The narrator continued. “But at a terrible price! Three great continents sank beneath the sea of clouds forever.” The light on the narrator went out and the scene changed. Addam stood over the Aegis’s body, a great doorway of light behind them.

“Servant of the Architect!” Addam said, approaching the body. “By thy power, the world is saved! For the gift you have granted us, we are eternally grateful. I shall spread thy legend far and wide!” He pumped his fist into the air. “May your name live on for eternity!” He bent down and picked up the Aegis’s body, carrying her into the door of light as the curtain lowered.

Rex leaned back in his seat and clapped with the rest of the audience as the play ended. He glanced over at Pyra and noticed that she wasn’t clapping or smiling. She was looking rather concerned, her brow creased and her lips pulled tight. As people began leaving the theater, Vandham motioned for the group to follow him. He left the main room by a side entrance and began walking back stage.

“Hey.” Nia whispered as she caught up with Rex. He stopped and turned around. “Kind of awkward, right?”

“What was awkward?” He asked.

“I mean, that play…” Nia glanced around. “It was about Pyra. Must have been kinda bizzare for her, eh?”

“I dunno… I guess?”

“Maybe you should go and make it right.” Nia said. With that, she began following after the rest of the group.

“Make it right?” Rex asked. “How? You make it sound like I did something wrong.”

“Idiot.” Nia sighed. “Figure it out yourself!”

“What am I supposed to-” Rex began. He stopped when he noticed Pyra walk up behind him. “Err, umm…” He stammered, turning around to face her. “So the theater…”

“Wasn’t it incredible?” Pyra asked. “They had the cloth moving just like real clouds! How do you think they did that?”

“Huh?” Rex thought for a moment. “Ah, yeah! The clouds were pretty cool. They were so… cloudy?” Gramps smacked Rex in the back of the head.

“What’re you saying, bonehead?” He asked.

“Watch it!” Rex hissed under his breath. “I’m doing the best I can!”

“Are you alright?” Pyra asked.

“I’m fine, just…” He sighed. “Pyra, are you feeling alright? Watching a play about yourself… Must be one heck of an experience.”

“I’d…” She folded her arms on front of her stomach and looked down. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“I can respect that.” Rex put his hands up. “Not trying to step on your toes. It’s just you looked… Well you didn’t look like your usual self back there. If you want to talk about it… I don’t know, I guess I’m here… or something. We should probably get back to the others.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine. Really.” Pyra walked past Rex and joined Vandham and the others outside a door.

“It’s an improvement.” Gramps commented. “But you’ve still got a long way to go.”

“You shut it!” Rex glared at Gramps as best he could. The two of them joined the group and together they stepped through the door.

“Comin’ in old fella!” Vandham shouted as he swung the door open. “Crikey! Still collecting the junk, are ya?” Inside was an office of sorts, cluttered with all manner of supplies and equipment. Against one of the far walls was a small writing desk, and standing in front of it was an old man in a brown cloak.

“Watch it you bruiser!” The man turned around and faced the group. He had pale, ashen-colored skin and a faded beard. His voice was hoarse, but he still spoke as loudly as Vandham. “Don’t make fun of a man’s hobbies!”

“Some greeting for your old comrade!” Vandham shook his head.

“Comrade?” Nia asked.

“Yeah, I was a freelancer before I got the firm going. Believe it or not, me and this old fella tore up a good few battlefields in our day.”

“We sure did.” The man smiled, shaking his head.

“Battlefields?” Rex asked. “I thought you didn’t fight wars.”

“I don’t anymore.” Vandham said. “But I was a… different man, back then. Hadn’t learned what the world was really like yet.”

“Different man alright.” The old man snorted. “Believe it or not, back then we used to get paid for the work we did. Not like the charity drive you’re running now. How much money are you pulling in with that bleeding heart of yours?”

“Says the guy in the theater troupe!” Vandham laughed. “You can’t be raking in much dough either.”

“It’s good to see you again, Vandham.” The man said. “Well, what can I do for you, friend?”

“Cole,” Vandham crossed his arms, “You’re old, ain’t ya? Old enough to know…” He leaned forward. “How you cross over to the World Tree. Get to Elysium, I mean.”

“Elysium.” Cole’s eyes widened a fraction. “But why? Why would you want to go there?” He glanced over at Pyra, and his eyes widened further. “That Core Crystal!” He stumbled back. “You… You’re…” He stood and composed himself. “So the Aegis is back amongst us. Who is your Driver?”

“I am.” Rex stepped forward, puffing his chest up slightly.

“You?” Cole asked. “But you’re so young…”

“How about it, old man?” Vandham continued. “Do you know the way or not?”

Cole crossed his arms behind his back and went quiet for a moment.

“I dare say,” He looked over the group as he spoke, “If you’ve trekked all the way here to ask me, you’ve already tried going yourselves?”

“Yeah…” Rex sighed. “But we couldn’t make it.”

“No wonder. No one can get to the tree while that thing’s guarding the way there. It won’t let anyone past. But…” Cole began pacing in front of his desk. “A long time ago, there was a man who went up the tree. Met the Architect too.”

“He…” Rex knit his brow. “He met the Architect?” He turned to Vandham. “Are you sure this guy’s right in the head?”

“I ain’t senile yet, brat.” Cole spat. “Now back to this man. I’ll wager anything he’s got an idea how to get there again. You should try asking him.”

“Well, we don’t have any other leads.” Nia shrugged. “So who was this guy?”

Cole became quiet again.

“Listen, we’re in something of a rush. Pyra needs to get to Elysium, so if you know something then spit it out already.”

“Well, I can tell you.” Cole said, raising his head. “But first I’d like a word with her, if I may.” He pointed to Pyra.

“Of course.” She nodded. He motioned to another door on the far wall, and the two stepped through, leaving the rest of the group in the office. The two of them entered Cole’s bedroom, a relatively small space filled mostly with bookshelves, packed shelf to shelf with old tomes.

“Mister Cole, right?” Pyra asked as she closed the door. “You wrote that play, didn’t you?”

“I hope it didn’t stir up any painful memories.” Cole said.

“No, it’s alright.” Pyra shook her head. “Some of them are… good memories.” At that, Cole let slip a chuckle.

“You know, you’re not very convincing.” Cole sighed. “I’m sorry, I really am. I just wanted people to remember you and Addam as heroes, like you deserved. I didn’t think that… Well, that you’d be returning. At least while I was still around, anyway.” The two of them stood in silence for a moment. “Will you be using it again?”

“I don’t know yet.” Pyra hung her head.

“I just don’t know if this world can take it a second time.”

“I know that.” She clenched her fists. “I’d never use it if there was another way. But…”

“That man’s the only one who knows how to get to where you’re going. Do you think you can make it to him? I just wanted to make sure.”

“We don’t have a choice. Though I’d rather not have to deal with him again, I guess it’s my destiny. Can’t keep running away from this forever.”

“Yeah… That boy who’s with you…”

“His name’s Rex. He’s a good person, deep down. With a kind heart.”

“You’re sure?” Cole asked. “At first glance, he reminded me of… him.” Cole’s expression darkened.

“I know what you mean. Malos said the same thing. But I don’t think that’s really true.”

“Wait, Malos? He’s here?”

“He and Jin have been after us. They’re calling themselves Torna now, and they’re trying to get to Elysium too.”

“You should have said so sooner.” Cole shook his head. “If Jin has fallen this far, then you need all the help you can get. Certainly more than I can provide, though I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you Minoth.” Pyra smiled.

“Minoth…” Cole blushed. “I’d almost forgotten that name.” He smiled, walking through the door back into the office. “Now then, where did it get to…?” He muttered, striding up to his desk and scrounging around. Suddenly, he doubled over and began coughing.

“Grandpa!” Iona shouted, having entered the room while Pyra and Cole were talking. She ran to his side and grabbed his hand, steadying him on his feet.

“Old man!” Vandham shouted. “You OK?”

“I’m… Fine…” Cole grunted, his coughing getting worse. “I’ll be… Fine in a… Second…” He put his hand out and braced himself against his chair. “Seriously… Don’t mind me…”

“Nah, we’d better call it a day, old timer.” Vandham said. Rex and Nia both nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry, fella.”

“Yeah, OK.” Cole wheezed. “But come back again tomorrow, will ya? There’s something I want to give you.” Cole resume coughing and sat down in his chair as the group began to file out of his office.

“Come on.” Vandham announced. “I know a place we can rest.”

-

Later that night, Cole stood in his office. The coughing had subsided, and he was feeling more himself. On the table in front of him was an obsidian dagger with a golden hilt. The blade forked in two about halfway up, and a crystal of blended blue and red was set into the handle. As he stared, two people entered his room.

“Well I’ll be…” Cole said, turning around to face his new guests. “It’s just one blast from the past after another today.”

“You probably guessed, but we’re not here for a reunion.” Malos said. Beside him, Akhos simply smirked.

“Just as well.” Cole smiled, folding his arms behind his back. “The Aegis is gone already. How disappointing for you, “comrade”.”

“Still an asshole.” Malos chuckled, shaking his head.

“Despite the years taking their toll.” Akhos commented. “I’ll wager all the doctors in this town are quacks, and all the Blades are blunt. Obrona and I… We could fix that stagnant ether flow with a minimum of bother. What d’you say? You could still have a lot of good years ahead of you!” From outside the room, Iona’s eyes went wide as she listened in on the conversation.

“I mean I won’t deny there’d be a certain quid pro quo involved.” Akhos continued. “But old man, just think of the benefits! Come, can’t you lend us your expertise here?”

“You know, friend.” Cole unfolded his arms. “I’m not as attached to my life as I used to be. Maybe I’ve had enough.” He turned around again.

“Your little lost souls will be simply inconsolable.” Akhos shook his head.

“The kids?” Cole laughed. “No, they’re strong.”

“This is becoming a farce.” Akhos spat. “A horrendously clichéd one at that!” The two turned to leave. “Break a leg!” Akhos waved as he left the room. Without much pause, Cole returned to staring at the dagger. Akhos and Malos, meanwhile, left the theater. As they walked outside, Malos stopped.

“What’s that?” He asked, turning around. Standing in the doorway of the theater was Iona.

“Hey, don’t be shy.” Akhos said. “You heard what we said, right?” After a moment’s hesitation, Iona approached the pair.

“Can you… Can you really help Grandpa?” She asked, looking down at her feet.

“Why of course.” Akhos said, walking up next to her. “We can help. That is, if you’ve willing to help us.” He crouched down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Can you do that, for your grandfather?” Slowly, she nodded, and he betrayed a smirk.

-

Pyra lay in bed in the room of an inn she was sharing with Poppi and Nia. The gormotti girl was in the bed next to her, and Poppi stood off to the side near one of the windows, powered down. In Pyra’s dream, however, she stood again under the shade of the tree overlooking Elysium. As she gazed out across the landscape, a man appeared behind her, leaning against the tree’s trunk.

“This is…” She sighed. “You can’t come here.”

“Charming!” Malos exclaimed. “So you’re making the rules now, huh?”

“You didn’t come here to talk about the old days, did you?” Pyra asked, turning around to face him.”

“I’m not the one you’ve got to justify yourself to.” Malos shrugged. “But I do have a message. We’ve snatched Minoth’s little brat.”

“No!” Pyra shouted, clenching her fists. “I’m not going to let you hurt another child.”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk.” Malos snorted. Pyra didn’t reply. “If you want her back, come to the place you and Addam first met. Oh, and come alone. I don’t need to tell you what’ll happen if you don’t.” With that, he disappeared, leaving Pyra to stew with her thoughts.

-

Nia slept soundly in her bed. Suddenly, she heard a banging on her door. Frantically, she jumped up and drew her twin rings.

“It’s me!” Rex shouted from the other side. “Come downstairs, quick!”

“Gotcha!” Nia replied. She hurried over to activate Poppi, and the two of them tore down the stairs. Dromarch, Vandham, Tora, Roc, and Rex were already gathered outside. Cole was with them, short of breath and leaning on the arm of another, much younger man.

“What happened?” Nia asked as she arrived.

“Iona…” Cole wheezed. “She’s gone! It must’ve been… Them!” His hands began shaking, and he almost fell over. The younger man helped steady him.

“Who’s “them”?” Rex asked.

“After you left, Malos… And some other guy… They paid me a visit.”

“Malos was here?” Rex took a step back. “Wait, how d’you-”

“Who was the other guy?” Nia asked, cutting him off.

“Didn’t catch his name.” Cole shook his head. “But he had red glasses.”

“Akhos!” Nia snarled. “But what would he want with Iona?”

“Wait! Stop everything!” Rex shouted, looking around. “Where’s Pyra?!”

“She… I guess she wasn’t there when I woke up.” Nia frowned. “Sorry, it happened rather quickly, so I didn’t register. No one’s seen her?”

“Maybe she realized what was going on with Iona?” Vandham offered.

“Well, knowing Malos…” Cole coughed again. “It’s not unthinkable.”

“That girl!” Nia clicked her tongue. “Trying to save her on her own?”

“Where’s she gone?” Rex asked. “Didn’t she leave a note?”

“No.” Nia shook her head. “Not that I saw.”

“I know where…” Cole said. “Olethro Ruins. It’s where Addam awoke the Aegis, five hundred years ago. I’d wager Malos is trying to lure her there!”

“How do we get there?” Rex asked.

“It’s at the top of the Great Stairway.”

“I know the place.” Vandham grunted. He turned to the man who was with Cole. “Take care of this old man for us, yeah?” The man simply nodded in reply.

“Let’s move!” Rex shouted, already beginning to run up toward the top of the city. “If he go now, maybe we can catch up to her!”

-

Malos and Sever stood in the middle of a great stone amphitheater carved out of Uraya’s back. The Titan’s tail swayed in front of them as it swam on the Cloud Sea’s surface. Behind them, from a large stone gateway, Pyra walked into the arena.

“So lame.” Malos said, shaking his head as he and Sever turned to face her. “How long are you going to stay in that form?”

“That’s none of your concern!” Pyra spat. “Where’s Iona?”

“Akhos is the meanest son of a bitch I know.” Malos smirked. He nodded in the direction of the stands above the entrance Pyra had come through. Right above the stage, Akhos was holding an unconscious Iona by her neck, one of his swords pressed against her throat.

“Son of a bitch!” Obrona laughed from where she floated next to him.

“For the record,” Akhos called down to Malos. “I still say we should have sent them a finger or something!”

“You know what we’re after, don’t you?” Malos asked, turning back to Pyra.

“Is Jin on your side too?” Pyra asked.

“He’s finally come around to the right way of thinking.” Malos replied. “That’s all I’m gonna say.”

“Really? I find that hard to believe.”

“I don’t care.” Malos said, extending his sword’s blade. “Let’s get this over with.” Sever began glowing with ether energy, and Malos swung his weapon, firing a wave of wind ether at Pyra. She put up an ether shield and blocked the attack, destroying both her shield and the ether wave. The impact, however, forced her back slightly. Malos began sending more ether waves at her, each of which she blocked with a shield, and each of which pushed her further and further back. Eventually, after one of her shields failed, part of the ether wave made it through, slicing her on the shoulder. She fell to one knee.

-

As the group ran up the Great Stairway, Rex felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He clutched it, collapsing to one knee and skidding to a halt.

“Rex!” Gramps shouted as the group caught up with him.

“I’m OK.” He said, shaking his head and standing to his feet. “But Pyra’s fighting alone!” He took off up the stairs once again. “She’s close though! Come on, we’re almost there!” He shouted as he ran, the rest of the group running after him once more.

-

“Well well…” Akhos smirked as he watched Malos drive Pyra back. “I see I’m not the only son of a bitch.”

“Still defiant, I see!” Malos roared. “Just give it up, girl! You think you can fight me without your power?”

“I won’t use it!” Pyra shouted back. “And I won’t let you use it either!” Her chest began glowing red hot, and she shot out a stream of fire ether. It coiled into a large ball of fire above her and Malos.

“You seem to be doing nicely without your Driver.” Akhos commented.

“It’s like you don’t know who you’re dealing with.” Malos grunted. “You can’t beat me like this.” He flipped his sword around in his hand as Pyra shot the ball of fire at him. He stepped forward and slashed it in half, dissipating the ether. Pyra took another step back and prepared another attack.

“But maybe I can!” Rex shouted. He soared through the gate, wind ether trailing behind him. He flew past Pyra and swung his sword at Malos, screaming.

“The kid?” Malos exclaimed. He prepared to block the strike, but Sever stepped forward and put up an ether shield. Rex’s attack struck the shield and bounced off, sending him back into the air. He flipped backward and landed on his feet next to Pyra.

“Rex!” Pyra shouted. As she did, Nia and Tora came running through the gate, Blades in tow. “Everyone!” They took up positions on either side of Rex.

“Well this isn’t very sporting.” Akhos sighed. “Although I was hoping it’d come to this.” He stepped forward. “Aegis! You’ve broken our deal! You know what that means!” Just before he could slit Iona’s throat, one of Vandham’s scythes flew up from below and struck him in the leg. He collapsed, losing his hold on Iona. Vandham jumped up and caught her, leveling his other scythe at Akhos.

“Yeah.” He smirked. “It means we get to have ourselves a rematch.” Roc swooped up and grabbed Iona off the ground as Vandham advanced on Akhos, placing her well inside the gate the group had come through.

“While I’d love another go at this little song and dance, needs must.” Akhos said, waggling his finger at Vandham. “Obrona, do them in!” He jumped, a steam of ether carrying him over Vandham’s head and landing him next to Malos.

“Thought you’d never ask!” Obrona shouted, floating above the group. Roc flew up to meet her and grabbed one of her wings with his claws. He continued to fly up with her in his grip, slamming her into a rock overhang above the ruins. Vandham ran down the stands, his scythes having lost power, and charged for Akhos. The rest of the group ran forward to meet Malos. He charged straight forward, sword tip aired to pierce Pyra’s chest. Rex planted his feet and parried the strike, knocking Malos’s blade away.

Sever leapt forward to continue supplying Malos with power, and Nia jumped to intercept him. She threw one of her rings at his Core Crystal, forcing him to throw up an ether shield. As he did, Nia shot forward, her free fist coated in water ether. She slammed it into Sever’s shield, breaking it and sending the Blade flying. Akhos ran forward to attack Nia but was intercepted by Vandham who slammed his depowered scythe straight into Akhos’s gut. Akhos grunted and moved forward, pushing Vandham’s scythe back without it cutting into him. He raised one of his swords to cut Vandham’s arm off, and Vandham caught it as it descended. He flashed Akhos a manic grin and slammed his own head into Akhos’s, breaking his glasses and sending him back. Vandham wrenched the sword out of Akhos’s hand and continued his assault.

Malos’s weapon darkened as Sever was thrown, catching him off guard for a moment. Rex swung his sword up at Malos’s chest, slicing through part of his armor. The grilled guard over his sternum cracked, leaking a faint purple light. Malos grunted and ducked low, throwing a punch at Rex’s gut. Rex jumped aside, Pyra rolling with him to stay out of Malos’s path. Rex lunged forward, his sword aimed for Malos’s head, and Malos blocked the strike with the flat of his depowered blade. As the two connected, Tora slammed his drill shield into Malos’s back, cracking more of his armor. The impact knocked the tip of Rex’s sword free of Malos’s, and it slid forward toward Malos’s head. Malos rolled forward and under the attack, which sailed over his head and struck Tora’s shield. Malos stood up and prepared to attack Rex but had to jump out of the way as a Boom Biter shot toward him. Tora had unleashed it from his shield, and Rex had swatted it toward Malos with the flat of his sword.

Tora jumped forward, his drill once again extended, as Malos crossed into his path. Malos planted his feet and punched the shield, sending the Nopon flying back into the side of the gate across from Iona. Poppi rushed forward and jumped, kneeing Malos in the face with the help of her jets. He grit his teeth and caught the attack on the chin. As Poppi flew up, he grabbed one of her legs and slammed her into the ground. He raised his sword as Rex charged. Sever broke from where Dromarch was keeping him pinned and threw a slice of wind ether in Malos’s direction. The ether caught the sword, momentarily powering it up. Malos swung it down on top of Rex as the boy closed the distance. Rex rolled to the side and swung his sword up, catching Malos in the chest. Malos grinned, slamming the pommel of his sword down on Rex’s head as the sword cut into his chest armor. Rex was knocked away before his sword could pierce Malos’s chest, and he skidded to a stop next to where Vandham and Akhos continued to trade blows.

Malos turned to Pyra, but Tora recovered and slammed his shield into the man’s side. Knocked off balance for a moment, Pyra took the opportunity to run to Rex’s side. Malos tried to run after them, but Dromarch threw Sever into him, knocking the man down. Nia and Tora both charged Malos at once while he recovered. Sever threw up an ether shield and blocked both strikes.

Rex stood to his feet next to Vandham, who had suffered several surface-level wounds on his arms and hands during his fight with Akhos. His opponent didn’t seem nearly as worn out, but Vandham was smiling all the same. He nodded to Rex, and the two of them charged Akhos together. Just then, an explosion went off from where Roc held Obrona, and the former fell from the sky. He managed to get his wings extended and break his fall, but Obrona quickly swooped down to Akhos’s side, emitting a glow of red energy that began to saturate the surroundings.

“I must admit, I’ve enjoyed playing my part in this hackneyed tale.” Akhos said, tossing his ruined glasses aside. “But…”

“Time for the final act?” Obrona cackled. He tossed her his swords and she soared into the sky, her red glow intensifying.

“You’re bluffing!” Rex shouted, running forward.

“No!” Pyra shouted. “Rex!” He didn’t pay attention. He jumped into the air, swinging his sword down on Akhos’s head. Akhos caught the blade as it descended, his fingers warping the material slightly as they dug in.

“You see,” He said, smirking as Rex struggled to free his weapon, “Blades draw their power from atmospheric ether energy. They send their power to the Core Crystal, where it manifests. But… What if we were to interrupt the flow?” Akhos raised his free hand and clenched it into a fist. Instantly, the ether stream between Pyra and Rex shut off.

“Shit!” Vandham shouted. “Don’t look good!” He ran forward and slammed into Akhos, knocking him back and freeing Rex.

“Damn!” Nia swore, shaking her twin rings. “The power’s draining out of my weapons.”

“It’s no good!” Dromarch shouted. “I can’t transfer power, my lady!”

“Masterpon!” Poppi said, her arms beginning to twitch. “Poppi feels funny!” Before Tora could reply, Malos lunged forward and cut a swathe of wind ether through Tora and Nia’s formation, scattering the Drivers and their Blades to the ground. Nia flipped to her feet as she hit the ground, but the rest weren’t as fortunate.

“Why won’t you guys leave Pyra alone?” Rex shouted at Akhos as he and Vandham backed up.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Akhos asked. “We want the power of the Aegis for ourselves!” He slashed forward with one of his swords, retrieved from Obrona, and knocked Rex back further. “We will use it to go to Elysium. And then Jin will erase all of humankind from the world!”

“What?!” Nia snarled, jumping forward and slashing her rings as Akhos. The two of them began exchanging blows, dancing around the battlefield. Pyra and Rex had but a moment to rest before Malos shot forward and attacked them. Pyra threw up an ether shield, but he powered through it, throwing them both in opposite directions.

“Did Jin seriously say that?” Nia asked as she and Akhos continued to fight. “Erase all of humankind?”

“My, my.” Akhos shook his head, blocking Nia’s strikes almost casually. “Surely you knew. Better than anyone. You know what humans are really like.” The comment threw her off guard, and Akhos went in to strike her neck.

“Nia!” Vandham shouted, tackling her out of the way. Roc, gripping the twin scythes, parried Akhos’s strike as Vandham tumbled to a stop. “What’re you doing?”

“You’ve seen the capital.” Akhos continued. “You’ve seen the ships, weapons, soldiers… All poised to invade Mor Ardain.” Behind him, Rex had recovered and crossed swords with Malos. Rex was steadily losing ground as he backed into the stands. “Doesn’t it make you want to laugh? Every corner of the world is defiled by such vermin!” Obrona floated down next to Akhos, and Vandham stepped forward, putting himself in front of Nia.

“But that’s nothing new.” Malos commented, continuing Akhos’s chain of thought. “They haven’t changed a bit in five hundred years.” He swung at Rex’s head, and the boy dodged. Pyra and Sever began throwing waves of ether shields at each other, attempting to overpower one another. “No wonder father abandoned them!” Pyra managed to gain the upper hand and break Sever’s shield, throwing the Blade back. To keep in range, Malos was forced to jump back, landing next to his Blade.

“No.” Pyra shook her head. “The only thing that hasn’t changed is you. Father didn’t want us to wipe out innocent life!”

“Why did he make us, then?” Malos asked. “Get real! That’s what we’re for! To descend on the world and eliminate these pests!” Malos tensed his arms, and his entire body began glowing with dark ether energy. It spilled out into the world around him, tearing up a good portion of the ground beneath his feet.

“What?!” Vandham shouted. “Is that power coming from his Blade?”

“Playtime’s over. Let’s end this.” The torrent of energy around Malos subsided, but he continued to pulse with overwhelming power. “Akhos!”

“Agreed!” Akhos grinned, twirling his swords around. Malos jumped forward and slashed at Rex. Pyra threw up a shield, but he cut through it like it wasn’t even there. Pyra and Rex were sent flying back into the stands, collapsing several rows of seats. From the cloud of dust, Poppi shot forward, riding her jet boots and wielding Tora like a weapon. He had his drill extended and aimed straight for Malos. They knocked Sever aside as he tried to interfere, but Malos caught the edge of the drill and stopped it, stripping several of the internal gears. He threw Tora and Poppi to the side, and they collapsed in the stands opposite Rex and Pyra.

“Poppi!” Tora shouted as she began sparking, ether leaking out of her circuits. He furiously began patching her up as the fight continued. Obrona laughed as she traded blows with Roc.

“How very noble!” Akhos said. “Next!” He slashed at Nia, but Dromarch jumped in the way, taking the brunt of the attack.

“Dromarch!” Nia shouted. “Bastards!” She poised to pounce on Akhos.

“Over here!” Obrona shouted, landing behind Nia. Right as Nia turned around, Obrona caught the girl with her claws, throwing Nia over to where Dromarch lay.

“Nia! Tora!” Rex shouted. “Damn!” He grit his teeth and charged forward.

“Stop, Rex!” Gramps shouted into his ear. “It’s no good!” Rex didn’t listen and continued to charge toward Malos. Sever jumped in his path, wielding Malos’s sword, and slashed at Rex, knocking him to the ground.

“Rex!” Pyra shouted. She ran forward to help him, but Malos appeared in front of her. He punched her in the stomach, and she fell to her knees.

“Hitting girls isn’t as much fun.” Malos grunted.

“Malos, you’re the icon of chivalry.” Akhos replied.

“M- Malos!” Pyra wheezed. She grabbed one of his boots, and her hand began glowing, heating up the armor. He kicked her side with a smirk.

“You’re not getting her!” Vandham shouted. Roc flew up into the air, spinning a vortex of wind ether around himself. He began flapping his wing, feathers splitting off from them and raining small rivulets of wind ether down on Malos and Akhos with each hit.

“An attack from the outside?!” Malos exclaimed, scrambling to grab his sword and block the incoming projectiles.

“Vandham!” Rex shouted, struggling to stand.

“Ah! The lunk is back.” Akhos said, dancing around in between the feathers. “But that peashooter won’t help you. Even if you hit, it’ll barely register.”

“Bloody idiot!” Vandham roared. “Think I don’t know that?!” He ran forward and raised his hands. Roc charged the scythes with as much wind ether as he could muster and threw them at Vandham. He caught them as he hit the ground, cracking the stone beneath his feet.

“Are you ready, Rex?!” Vandham shouted, locking eyes with Malos. “Another lesson for ya! Something else you can do with a Blade!” He raised his scythes and stabbed the crystals that tipped their handles into his stomach. His eyes looked like they were going to pop from his skull as he did, but he stayed on his feet.

“What…?” Malos exclaimed, taking a step back. “Bastard!”

“Unbelievable!” Akhos shouted. “He’s channeling the ether from his weapon directly into his body!”

“Can’t you do something about that?” Malos asked.

“Nothin’ you can do!” Vandham wheezed as he took a step toward Malos. “To stop this ether flow! Nothing at all!” His hands began glowing with wind ether, and he broke into a run, screaming. He threw a blast of wind ether the size of a small tornado at Akhos, knocking him and Obrona to the ground before she could even muster a shield. Malos charged one of his hands with dark ether and lunged forward, trying to take Vandham’s head off. Vandham intercepted the strike with his own hand of energy, and the two ether clusters began to swirl around each other as Vandham and Malos struggled. Eventually, Vandham’s wind ether won out, and Malos was driven back, sliding across the ground. Sever jumped forward to attack Vandham, bur Roc descended from the sky, impaling Sever’s head on one of his talons.

Nia got to her feet and watched as Vandham bore down on Malos, striking the man repeatedly and driving him back toward the edge of the arena, and the cliff where the amphitheater gave way to Uraya’s tail.

“Vandham!” Rex shouted, still struggling to find purchase on the ground.

“Move it!” Vandham shouted, glancing back at Rex for a moment. “Take Pyra and scram, kid!” Vandham returned his attention to the fight, knocking Malos’s weapon aside with his bare hands and continuing his assault. Malos grabbed one of Vandham’s arms and wrenched it aside, bending it at a wrong angle. A crack resounded around the arena as Vandham’s elbow broke, but he kept fighting.

“I can’t…” Rex stammered. “I can’t just leave you here!” Sever got out from under Roc’s talon and grabbed the Blade by the neck, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground.

“Rex!” Vandham continued fighting Malos, his movements growing increasingly erratic. “Don’t go dyin’ on me here! You gotta make it! You gotta get away from here now!” Rex’s hand found the handle of his sword as Vandham spoke. “Live! Live for her! You gotta make it to Elysium!” Vandham kicked Malos, sending him skidding across the ground.

“I won’t allow it!” Malos roared, shooting up from where he’d fallen and driving his knee into Vandham’s gut. Vandham staggered back, blood spraying from his mouth. “Give it up!” Vandham readied another blast of wind ether, but Malos dispersed it with his own dark ether before Vandham could fire it off.

“Just go, Rex!” Vandham shouted, his voice growing hoarse. “Remember to fight your war!” He grabbed the handles of his scythes and lunged forward at Malos. He pulled them from his gut, eliciting a stream of blood, and drove the blades into Malos’s sides. They cracked as they collided with Malos’s armor. He raised his sword and slashed it down across Vandham’s face and chest. Vandham grit his teeth as the strike hit, and he collapsed to the ground. His scythes dissolved into ether as a pool of blood began to form around him.

“VANDHAM!” Rex shouted. Roc, held in Sever’s grip, dissolved into ether energy, and his lifeless core dropped to the ground.

“Oh please.” Akhos shook his head as he stood. “What a cliché.” Rex scrambled to his feet and ran forward, a guttural scream tearing from his mouth.

“Re- Rex!” Pyra said, trying to get to her feet.

“You’re going to pay for this!” Rex howled. “For Vandham!” He closed in on Malos, his sword reared back.

“N-no… We have to go…” Pyra stammered, taking a step toward Rex, her hand clutching her side.

“You’re a pain in the ass.” Malos sighed. “Little shit!” He whirled around and kicked Rex square in the chest as he approached. Rex flew back, almost colliding with Pyra as he did.

“I can’t…” Rex grunted, standing up once again. “Do it…! Can’t let you do this!”

“So long, kid!” Malos smiled. He jumped into the air and swung his sword down on top of Rex, like he had with Vandham.

“REX!!!” Pyra screamed. The crystals across her body began to glow as Malos’s blade descended.

-

High above the world, in the cold vastness of space, a large white shape drifted around the earth. Suddenly, its eyes lit up, glowing a piercing red. It unfolded, mechanical wings erupting behind it with a brilliant gold shimmer, and descended toward the world.

-

As Pyra screamed, she blasted out an uncontrollable wave of ether in all directions, throwing Malos back before he could strike Rex down. She lifted into the air and her body itself began glowing. It split into millions of individual ether particles and reconstructed itself around her Core Crystal. Her new body wore a white outfit with gold trim, as opposed to red, and it closer resembled a dress. The tassels that had flown from her shoulders now hung at her waist, and her new outfit was covered with green crystals, small and large, on the few pieces of golden armor she wore on her shoulders, wrists, waist, and feet. Her hair, too, had changed to a long, flowing golden blond that went down to her waist. Even her eyes were golden. The rest of her face remained relatively unchanged, though she wore a dour, almost detached expression now.

“Pyra?!” Rex exclaimed as the golden light around her began to subside. The sword in his hands began to change as well. It powered down, the flame channels folding in. It then broke into ether like Pyra had and reformed into a more symmetric shape bearing Pyra’s new color scheme. It had protrusions running along the blade that folded outward, channeling a constant stream of golden glowing light ether energy. The entire length of the blade began doing the same, almost doubling its width.

“Y- you can’t rewrite the act now!” Akhos stammered. “It’s too late!” He ran forward, swords bared, and eyes locked on Pyra. The crystal of Pyra’s diadem began glowing, and she frowned at Akhos.

“Hey idiot!” Malos shouted. “Look out!” He glanced skyward, and Akhos did the same. A column of pure golden energy speared through from the heavens, branching out streaks of lightning and striking the ground around Akhos and Obrona. They barely had time to get out of the way before more started raining down.

“Akhos!” Obrona shouted as the two of them scampered to Malos’s side. Pyra scowled at Malos, and columns of energy began raining down on him as well. Akhos jumped forward as they did, barely avoiding the rain of death. It impacted the ground, destroying the back half of the arena. It crumbled into the sea as Malos and Sever landed on their feet just in front of the newly formed cliff.

“You awoke!” Malos roared. “At last! Mythra!” He grinned and jumped forward. Rex raised his sword to block, but Pyra raised her hand. An ether barrier went up, faster and stronger than any of the ones she’d used before. Malos’s sword collided with it, and it deflected off the barrier.

“Mythra?!” Rex asked, glancing back at Pyra. “Pyra! You’re-”

“I am not Pyra.” Mythra said, cutting him off. Her voice had changed, slightly. It was still the same person, but she spoke with a dramatically more serious tone. “Pyra… She’s a different self that I constructed.”

“A different self?” Rex asked as Malos struck the ether barrier again.

“No time for that!” Mythra shouted. “Now focus!”

“Right!” Rex replied. He slashed forward through the barrier, driving Malos back. Sever ran forward, but Rex jumped over him. Malos jumped to slash down on Rex, but Rex blocked the strike and sent Malos back.

“No, it can’t be!” Akhos screamed as he staggered to his feet. “My powers are useless?! Wh- where is that energy coming from?”

“Wake up!” Malos spat. “She’s not drawing from the ether, it’s something else!”

“Well what else is there?” Akhos spat back. Malos didn’t pay him heed.

“Mythra…” He smirked. “Looking good. Things are finally heating up.” He and Akhos ran forward, swerving around each to keep Rex confused. Mythra’s crystals began to light up again, and she sent out another wave of light ether. This one simply passed through the battlefield, forming a brief dome around the entire ruins before fading away.

“What is this?” Rex asked as he stared forward. He could see Malos and Akhos moving, leaving behind golden silhouettes as they did. The rest of the world, however, seemed to lie in a stand still.

“It’s called Foresight.” Mythra replied. “A prediction of what will happen in the immediate future. Read their movements to find an opening, then counter!”

“Alright!” Rex nodded. He watched as the silhouettes passed by him, striking at him. The vision faded, and a moment later the real Malos and Akhos repeated the same pattern. Rex rolled out of Malos’s reach and struck Akhos in the gut with this Blade as he came up, knocking him to the ground.

“How did he dodge that?” Akhos exclaimed, panting.

“Who cares how!” Malos shouted. “Just get them!” As he shouted, another rain of light speared down around them. Sever and Obrona threw up ether shields, but none of the light hit them. None of it exploded on impact with the ground, either. Instead, Rex flipped over Obrona’s ether shield and slashed Akhos across the chest again.

“There’s no way…” Akhos panted. “There’s no way this is happening!”

“This is it!” Malos cried, almost ecstatic. “The true power of the Aegis! Takes me back.” He smiled, looking at Mythra. “I’ve waited so long to see it again. Mythra! Welcome back!” He readied his sword for another attack, and Akhos did the same. Before they could move, however, Mythra strode forward. She grabbed the handle of the sword alongside Rex and lifted it skyward. Her lips curled into a faint snarl as it began to glow an incandescent white.

A rain of energy descended from the heavens high above the sword. It spread out, striking every point around Akhos and Malos. It even cut through them in some places. Akhos screamed as the light descended, and Obrona’s ether barrier failed. One of the “arrows” struck her through her Core Crystal, and she began to dissolve.

“Akhos!” She screamed. “What is thi-” She didn’t finish her sentence, as her face dissolved.

“Obrona!” Akhos howled. Malos’s weapon dissolved as Sever’s ether barrier failed and he suffered the same fate. The rain of energy subsided, and Malos and Akhos were left Bladeless and weaponless. Akhos collapsed to his knees and stared at Obrona’s lifeless core, cut nearly in half by Mythra’s attack.

“We gotta retreat!” Malos grunted, looking between Rex and Mythra. “Akhos!”

“Obrona…” Akhos croaked. It was all he could do to keep from crying.

“No time for that, Akhos!” Malos shouted. He raised his hand and punched the ground beneath them, kicking up a storm of dust with his dark ether. Rex shielded his eyes from the cloud, and by the time he looked again, the pair were gone, their Blades’ cores lifeless and broken on the ground. Nia and Tora managed to stand to their feet, walking forward toward Rex, their Blades close behind.

“Vandham…” Rex muttered, stepping toward his fallen friend. Mythra’s body lit up and shifted back to Pyra’s in the same manner as she had arrived. Pyra’s eyes rolled back, and she fell to the ground unconscious. Nia approached her and cradled her body as Rex’s emotions finally won out. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing. He screamed until his voice was hoarse, slamming his fist into the ground. In front of them, the sun rose, illuminating the smile on Vandham’s face.


	4. Chapter 4 - Aegis

The dawn light shined over the stone peaks of a might city’s towers. The streets below were filled with crowds of people. A bustling marketplace. Children laughing and adults haggling. As the day began, another light glinted on the horizon.

Lines of black energy struck the hillside around the city. The citizens barely had time to register the resulting shockwave before blasts tore through the streets. In an instant, half the city was engulfed in spheres of purple ether energy, hundreds killed or injured in their wake. As the bombardment commenced, a wall of golden light descended from the sky. It moved through the city, carving it to pieces and leaving its own ether trail. People fled the city by the thousands as the energies collided. A handful had managed to find shelter behind a rock formation outside the city walls before the ether formations reached critical mass. They intertwined, crashing against each other, and unleashed an explosion that devoured the city whole.

The few who had survived emerged from behind the rocks to the acrid scent of burning flesh. Ash drifted through the air from the remains of their home. They looked on in horror at the destruction the battle, brief as it had been, had caused. Over the hills, more blasts rained down as the fighting in the sky moved away from the city. In the center of the tumult, high above the clouds, a white-gold figure hovered, dwarfing all the other combatants. In its chest was a green crystal. Sitting within that crystal was Mythra. Her brow creased as she surveyed the landscape around her. Her targets began to move again, and the white figure moved to follow.

-

A gravestone stood at the edge of Olethro ruins, marking the spot where Vandham had fallen. Cole, Yew, and Zuo stood around Iona as she clutched a bouquet of flowers to her chest. The others had gathered off to one side, close by the grave.

“The body may die, but never the soul, which is merely passed on.” Dromarch said, delivering the eulogy. “Souls flow onward, born and reborn, forever part of the great ether stream.”

“Why friends make grave here?” Tora asked. “Can we not take Biggipon home to village?”

“He’d want to be buried where he fell.” Gramps replied. “It is traditional amongst mercenaries.”

Dromarch bowed to Vandham’s grave and turned to walk back to where Nia stood. Iona moved forward, eyes downcast. She knelt and placed the flowers on the grave.

“I’m so sorry, Vandham…” She said, choking back sobs. “If only I hadn’t listened to those people, you’d still be…” She placed her head in her hands and began weeping. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry!”

Nia looked at the ground at Dromarch returned to her side. Her hands were balled into fists, her claws digging into the flesh of her palms. Rex cast her a worried glance before walking forward and placing his hand on Iona’s shoulder.

“It’s not your fault.” Rex said, crouching beside her. “No matter what, those guys would have tracked us down eventually. What matters is that Vandham saved all our lives. For now, let’s just be grateful to him for that.”

“…You’re right…” Iona said, her voice hitching as she dried her eyes.

“I won’t forget your words, Vandham.” Rex said, standing back up. “Ever. I’ll fight my own war. With Pyra.”

As he spoke, she approached him from the back of the crowd. He tried to say something to her but couldn’t find the words. Instead, he just stepped aside and let her stand in front of Vandham’s grave. She crossed her hands over her heart and closed her eyes for a moment before stepping aside.

“Are… Are you alright?” He asked, joining her as the others came forward and said their peace. She nodded. “Good. I was worried that you might not wake up…” He sighed. His expression softened slightly. “Pyra, you know I’ve got to ask. What happened yesterday… You called yourself “Mythra”?”

“What?” Pyra asked, clutching her arm to her side. “I – I, um…” She trailed off and averted her gaze.

“I’d like to hear that too.” Nia said. “That power wasn’t normal. Is that the true power of the Aegis?” She walked up next to Pyra. “I don’t want to push you, but I think you owe us an explanation.”

“Tora want to know too.” Tora said. “Pyra was super strong! Why so strong, huh?”

“Now, now, don’t pressure the girl.” Gramps popped up from Rex’s helmet.

“Well, um…” Pyra stammered. “The thing is… I mean…” As she spoke, her Core Crystal began glowing. Her eyes widened, and she backed up. She closed her eyes and her form changed again, eliciting gasps from the rest of the group.

“P… Pyra?” Rex asked. Mythra opened her eyes and scowled at him. She balled her hands into fists and began marching toward him.

“Why?” She asked. “Why did you wake me up?”

“What?”

“I didn’t want to wake up…” She grit her teeth. “I didn’t want to come back! I left everything to her! But then you woke me up!”

“Woke you up?” Rex took a step back. “Pyra I-”

“If you hadn’t been so useless, none of this would have happened!” She took a step forward and jammed a finger in Rex’s face. “I wouldn’t have had to use this power! Didn’t you listen to that Vandham guy? He told you to hold back! He told you to run!” She composed herself and turned away from Rex. “But you just had to push yourself. Idiot. Look where it’s got us now.”

“You-” Rex began.

“You really messed up.” Mythra continued.

“You don’t have to tell me that!” Rex shouted. “I know, alright?! I knew I was being an idiot! But I just…” He moved his hands, trying to find something to do with them for a moment before throwing them back to his sides. He settled on clenching and unclenching his fists. “I couldn’t hand you over to them. I had to keep you safe. And I had to stop running. Vandham told me to fight my war, so I-”

“That’s quite enough.” Cole said, cutting him off. “From both of you. If you want to bicker amongst yourselves, find somewhere else. I’m trying to mourn my friend.”

“Minoth, I-” Mythra began.

“Don’t.” Cole’s gaze cut into her. “We’ll talk later, once we’ve all had a chance to calm down.”

“I’m sorry.” Mythra sighed, turning back to Nia. “If you’ve got questions, you can ask her. I’ve had about as much of this as I can take.” She closed her eyes and transformed back into Pyra. She staggered on her feet for a moment before finding her balance. Her expression softened again.

“That’s not fair…” She muttered. “Everyone, I’m… very sorry about all that. I’ll explain everything somewhere else. We should give them their space.” She ushered the group back toward the city, leaving Cole, Yew, Zuo, and Iona behind to mourn.

-

“Mythra and I are in a… complicated situation.” Pyra said. She and Gramps sat on the stage of Cole’s theater, with the rest of the group standing just below them. “A lot of it comes down to facets of being an Aegis we don’t fully understand, but-”

“What is Aegis?” Poppi asked.

“An Aegis is a Blade, Poppi. Born with a terrible power that’s strong enough to destroy the world, if not properly kept in check. Back during the Aegis War, I was rather cavalier with how I used it. I was called Mythra, back then.”

“Back up.” Rex said. “You said _an_ Aegis. That implies there’s more than one.”

“There are.” Nia said. “Or were. The Dark Aegis was the being that started the Aegis War. The dark reflection of our Pyra, or I guess our Mythra here.”

“I don’t remember that from any of the stories.”

“Because you never paid attention.” Gramps sighed.

“People didn’t call him the Dark Aegis at the time. He was simply the Aegis. Or an Aegis, depending on who you asked. But yes, there is another Aegis. Malos.”

“You’re joking.” Rex said. Nia seemed surprised by the news, too, but didn’t comment.

“Big scary man from last night?” Tora asked. “He Aegis too?”

“I wish I was.” Pyra sighed. “I’ll start at the beginning. Long ago, there was a man who Climbed the World Tree, hoping to make it to Elysium and meet his creator. But when he arrived at Elysium, he found it empty. So instead, as proof that he had reached the divine realm, he brought back two Core Crystals. Malos and me. And once he made it back to Alrest, he awakened Malos. Why he did it, I can’t say. For greed. For power. Or perhaps he just wanted to watch the world burn. Because when Malos awakened, he wielded his world-shaking power without restraint. Even his own Driver was unable to control him. To him, it was natural. He had never known anything else. He destroyed the Titan of Coeia without a second thought. I was awakened by a Driver determined to stop Malos’s rampage. So Malos and I fought. The war was long and hard. Many of our friends fell in battle. In the end, I used my power alongside that of a great weapon, the Artifice Siren, to defeat Malos. But the battle extracted a toll. Three great Titans fell during the war, and I sank one of them in my efforts to overpower Malos. I caused untold destruction that day. In my grief, I took the form you see now, and fell into a long slumber. I asked my Driver to seal me away to ensure that power would never be unleashed again. That was five hundred years ago.”

“The Aegis War.” Gramps said. “The man who awakened Mythra was Addam, hero of the lost Kingdom of Torna, which fell during the final battle against Malos. Addam fought as Mythra’s Driver to protect not only his home, but the entire world, from Malos. We Titans played our part in that battle too. It is our calling to live alongside humanity, after all. After the fall of Torna, and Malos’s defeat, Addam hid Pyra’s sleeping body inside a great ship and sunk her down to the Cloud Sea’s floor, where none could abuse her power.”

“And that’s the ship I was hired to excavate.” Rex said. “That Malos hired me to excavate.”

“It would have happened eventually.” Pyra said. “At least the person who found us was you. Otherwise, my sister might never have woken up.”

“You call her your sister?” Nia asked. “Just a moment ago you were talking like you were the one who fought in the war.”

“Mythra and I were once the same being. We still are, in a way. We share the same memories and occupy the same body. We even exchange our thoughts. And we used to talk together, in the dream of Elysium where Rex and I met. We promised that, if we were ever awakened again, we’d go home. To the real Elysium. And then we would fulfill our real purpose…”

“And that’s… Defeating Malos again?” Rex asked.

“No.” Pyra shook her head. “But I gave up too much to see him put down the first time. I’m not about to leave that job half-finished.”

-

Rex stared out the window of him room in the inn. He watched how the light filtering through Uraya’s hide danced off the surface of the lakes below the city. As he did, Pyra entered behind him.

“I wanted to apologize about Mythra.” She said. “She didn’t mean what she said at the funeral. You have to understand, she came out because she wanted to protect you. She broke her own seal for you, even used her power as the Aegis…”

“There’s no need to apologize.” Rex shook his head. “She was right. This is my fault. I mean, what kind of Driver does this make me, needing my Blade’s protection instead of the other way around? I’m just glad…” He turned around and faced her. “I’m glad you’re safe. And I’m happy you’ve decided to open up. I could tell it wasn’t easy for you. And I’m sorry I put you and Mythra in that position, forced you to use your powers to protect everyone.”

“I…”

“Your power is incredible, by the way. So much raw energy.”

“I’m sorry, I-”

“You apologize a lot, you know that?” Rex asked. “I guess you still feel guilty about what you can do. But you shouldn’t apologize for it. It’s who you are. If anything, you should be proud.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t know what I’m capable of.” Pyra shook her head. “You don’t know the horror that this power brings.”

“Power depends on the heart of its wielder. Vandham told me that once. So the way I see it, your power doesn’t have to be destructive. You can use it to protect people, if you choose to. And I’ve decided that I’m going to be kind of Driver who can live up to that. Who can protect you, like you protected everyone else.”

“Rex, I…” Pyra smiled as tears began welling up in the corners of her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted from down the hall. “Can you help Tora with repairing of Poppi, please?”

“I’ll be right there!” Rex shouted back. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you later.” He bolted out the door.

“I’ve not seen that boy this happy in years.” Gramps smiled, leaning out of the helmet Rex had left on the bed.

“Does he remind you of Addam at all?” Pyra asked.

“In a way.” Gramps replied. “They have the same smile.”

“They do, don’t they.” Pyra said. She sat down next to Gramps, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t think I can bear to see it fade a second time…” She trailed off as she put her head in her hands, crying.

-

The whole group stood outside Cole’s theater, all their gear packed up. Cole and the rest of the funeral party had come to see them off. He held the dagger from the previous night in his hands.

“What’s this?” Rex asked as Cole passed him the dagger.

“Take it and go to Indol.” Cole replied. “That dagger’s owner will tell you how to reach Elysium.”

“Right…” Rex said. “Pyra, are you sure you even want to go to Elysium?”

“What?” Pyra asked. “What kind of question is that?”

“When that man brought you and Malos down from Elysium, it was empty. If that’s true, then what’s even the point of going there?”

“I’ve got my own reasons.” Pyra replied. “I need to see my father, the Architect.”

“If you’re sure.” Rex said.

“Looks like you’ve finally come around.” Nia smirked.

“Alright, fine.” Rex sighed. “With everything that’s happened in the last day or so, I’m willing to accept that maybe Elysium and the Architect are real. But if that’s true, then there’s nothing left there. I don’t get the feeling reaching Elysium is going to solve anything.”

“You let me worry about that.” Nia smirked. “I’m just glad to finally have you on board.”

“It seems Pyra’s already told you of who I’m sending you to meet.” Cole remarked. “With any luck, you won’t need that dagger after all.”

“We’re meeting the man who brought Pyra and Mythra back?” Rex asked. He glanced down at the dagger. “If this was his, then is he a Blade?”

“No, the dagger’s mine. But my fighting days are behind me. My old Driver will have fonder memories of it than I do.”

“Your… Driver?” Rex asked.

“But that means-” Nia began, but stopped when Cole began undoing the buttons on his shirt. In the middle of his chest was a diamond-shaped Core Crystal. Instead of a solid blue, however, it was pockmarked with patches of red. Veins spread out from the crystal into the rest of his body.

“Cole is a Blade.” Gramps said. “We fought together during the Aegis War. His real name is Minoth.”

“Blades not get old though.” Tora said. “Why Cole look so old?”

“Because I’m one of the cursed ones.” Cole sighed, redoing his shirt buttons. “A Flesh Eater.”

Nia let out a small gasp, but the rest of the group just looked puzzled.

“A… Flesh Eater?” Rex asked.

“A Blade who has been fused with human cells.” Cole continued. “A long time ago, well before the war, the nation of Judicium sought to test the limits of Blades’ potential. I am a product of their experiments. One of the unlucky ones who was tainted by their folly.”

“So that’s what Vandham meant…” Rex muttered.

“Why would ancient people do that?” Tora asked.

“It seems that by combining Blade and human, it is sometimes possible to create Blades with extremely unique powers. But only very rarely. Most experiments were failures, and I was no different. I gained nothing at all and lost my immortality to boot. I likely won’t last much longer.”

“Grandpa…” Iona said, clutching Cole’s hand.

“Before I go, I want to see where your path ends. That dagger will aid you. Will you do this for me?” Rex stared at the dagger for a moment.

“Of course.” He nodded. “But can I ask you to do something too?”

“There’s that code of yours again.” Nia rolled her eyes.

“It’s not like that.” Rex said. “Cole, I was wondering if you could write a play about Vandham. I think people deserve to hear his story. Once we find Elysium, I’ll come see you again. Will you show it to me then?”

“An interesting notion.” Cole smiled. “It’s the least I can do. So see to it you all make it back here in one piece, understand?”

“Absolutely.” Rex nodded.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Pyra smiled.

“You’re going to Indol, then?” Yew asked. “Zuo and I could give you a ride. We have a spare Titan ship.”

“Thanks for the offer.” Nia said. “But we can’t impose on you any more than we already have. You both have more pressing concerns to worry about than helping us. Vandham would want you to put Garfont first.”

“Then how are you going to get to Indol?” Zuo asked.

“I reckon the quickest route is back to Argentum.” Rex said, breaking out his Cloud Sea compass. “Once there, we find a ship to Mor Ardain, and then head on to the Praetorium.”

“At this time of year, there’s bound to be a Guild ship at the port.” Gramps said.

“Can’t say no to a free ride.” Rex remarked. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for us. We’ll manage from here.”

“Good luck.” Yew said. “And don’t be a stranger. Once you’ve found Elysium, make sure you come pay us a visit. We’ll have the Garfont Mercenaries back and better than ever by the time you do.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

“One more thing before you go.” Zuo said. He walked up to Rex and handed him a darkened Core Crystal. “This was Roc’s. Vandham would have wanted you to have this.”

“You’re sure?” Rex asked.

“He really took a shine to you, kid. I think he did what he did because he saw a part of himself in you. Only right you be Roc’s next Driver.”

“I won’t let you down.” Rex placed Roc’s Core Crystal in his pocket. Everyone waved goodbye to Cole and the others and began making their way to Fonsa Myma’s port.

-

A teenaged boy stood in front of a throne in the middle of a glass room. He wore white Ardainian military dress with gold tassels. Atop his head sat a crown of golden branches, and over his shoulder hung a red sash adorned with the Ardainian crest. By his side stood a Blade, half-again as tall as the boy. He had tubes running from his legs to his back, threading through his waistcoat before draping over his shoulders. From the back of his head, three tendrils filled with water extended to his waist, where he wore a katana’s sheath. As the boy and his Blade stood in silence, there was a knock at the door behind them.

“Aegaeon.” The boy said, not turning his head from the throne.

“Yes.” The Blade responded. He opened the door and returned to his master’s side with the guests.

“I have returned from my assignment.” Mòrag said, bowing as the boy turned around. “Your majesty.”

“Welcome back Mòrag.” The Emperor smiled. “You too, Brighid.” He turned to her as she gave her own bow.

“I’m honored.” She replied.

“It is good to see you again, Brighid.” Aegaeon said.

“Likewise, Aegaeon.” She replied.

“So, this Aegis.” The Emperor said. “It was truly the genuine article?”

“Indeed.” Mòrag nodded.

“And the Driver?”

“From his garments, he appeared to be a young salvager. Around the same age as yourself, Your Majesty.”

“I would be most interested in meeting him.”

“That can be arranged.” Mòrag nodded. “Is there anything else you require?”

“While you were away, we received some unfortunate news.” The Emperor sighed. He nodded to Aegaeon. The Blade produced a sheaf of papers from his coat and handed them the Mòrag.

“We have received reports of an attack on a ship headed for the Praetorium.” Aegaeon said as Mòrag studied the papers.

“A Transport vessel?” She asked.

“Carrying a cargo of Core Crystals.”

“Torna’s work?” Brighid asked.

“Most likely.” The Emperor replied. “According to a lucky survivor, the culprit was a masked man.”

“Jin…” Mòrag sighed. “It must have been him.”

“This is the third shipment we’ve lost.” The Emperor shook his head. “And there are reports that the Urayan navy has also suffered significant damage by this man’s hand.”

“My sincere apologies.” Mòrag bowed her head again. “This is all my fault, Your Majesty. I let that Torna girl off lightly. I should have interrogated her more.”

“No.” The Emperor shook his head. “You set the captive loose because you felt it necessary, did you not? That is enough for me. Besides which, if this really is the doing of that man Jin, I doubt he would have been stopped even by an army five thousand strong. There’s nothing that can be done now. We have more pressing issues to consider.”

“Such as?” Mòrag asked as she raised her head.

“The Senate have independently resumed the excavation of Judicium.”

“Senator Roderich’s pro-war faction, I take it?”

“The loss of those Core Crystals must have made them restless.” The Emperor sighed once more. “Judicium is a very delicate region. It would be unwise to provoke Uraya.”

“I understand your meaning.” Mòrag said. “If the Senate make any unsavory moves, we can take action.”

“I’m counting on you.” The Emperor smiled and put his hand on Mòrag’s shoulder. “Dear sister.”

-

Rex and company strode across Argentum’s upper deck a few days later. Each of them held tickets for passage on a Guild transport to Mor Adrain. Suddenly, as Rex walked, something began glowing in his pocket. He stopped and fished around in his pocket for a moment before producing the object in question.

“Roc’s Core Crystal?” He muttered.

“What’s going on?” Nia asked.

“Come have a look.” Rex said, holding up the crystal. “It was dark as a stone before. What happened?”

“Remember what Vandham said? Core Crystals don’t “die”. They always regenerate after a while. Ready to be reawakened by a new Driver.”

“So, if I resonated with it now…” Rex trailed off, staring at the crystal.

“Then a new Roc would be born into this world.” Dromarch said.

“Vandham’s Blade…” Rex said. He stared at the crystal in silence for a moment.

“What do?” Tora asked.

“I’m not sure. Taking Vandham’s old partner just doesn’t feel right.”

“Maybe he’d have wanted you to do it?” Nia offered. “He wasn’t the type to get hung up on this kind of stuff anyway.”

“You’re right.” Rex nodded as he slipped the Core Crystal back into his pocket. “I just… This is the only thing I have to remember him by.”

“I’m not telling you what to do.” Nia said. “But just be sure it’s what you really want. In the meantime, I’ll go ahead and check us in.”

“Nia, do we really need to rush?” Pyra asked.

“We’ve been bumming around this port for two days.” Nia replied. “That’s more than long enough for my liking. The sooner we get out of this seedy hole, the better.” As Nia turned to the registration booth, a young Gormotti boy ran past her. He barreled straight into Rex and knocked him to the ground, not stopping to apologize.

“What was that kid’s problem?” Rex asked, dusting himself off. As his hand passed over his pocket, he felt something off. He reached inside and didn’t feel anything.

“No.” He muttered. “No, no, no!”

“What’ve you lost this time?” Nia asked.

“Roc’s Core Crystal!” He shouted. “It’s not here!”

“You mean that little blighter…?!” Nia craned her neck in the direction the boy had run.

“Titan’s foot!”

“After him!” Dromarch shouted. “At once!”

They all ran off in the direction the boy had gone. Soon, they found themselves back in the levels above Argentum’s marketplace. Rex caught a glimpse of the thief as he bolted down the stairs, and he swung over the railing into the piping running along Argentum’s walls. He slid down the pipes and landed on the marketplace’s ground floor just in time for the boy to run past him. Rex staggered to his feet and resumed giving chase.

The thief ran out of the marketplace and into the harbor. He sprinted up one of the piers, knocking a balding Ardainian man to the ground.

“What d’you think you’re doing?!” The man shouted as the thief hopped up onto the deck of a nearby ship. Just as Rex reached the pier, the ship took off, skimming across the Cloud Sea.

“Rex!” Nia shouted as her and the rest of the group caught up with him. “What happened?”

“He just stole a whole ship!” Rex replied.

“What’re we going to do now?” Pyra asked.

“We’ll steal our own, of course!” Rex said. He ran around to the next pier and jumped on board a Titan ship.

“Rex?” A man on the pier asked as the rest of the group followed suit. “What’s going on?”

“No time, Garram!” Rex said, throwing the ship into gear. “A thief stole Pittman’s ship, and I’m going to get it back! I’ll bring yours back as soon as I can!” The ship began to cast off, following the thief and leaving Argentum behind.

“Rex!” Garram shouted. “You can’t just… Come back here!”

-

Rex followed the stolen ship for hours until Gormott came into view on the horizon. The thief pulled the Titan ship into an abandoned shipyard on Gormott’s left side. Rex swung their ship around and anchored it where Vandham had hidden his own ship not a week prior. After everything was secured, the group made their way down to where the thief was hiding.

“Thief using Umon’s old workshop as hideout…” Tora said as they neared the shipyard. “I never dream of such a thing.”

“Well I can’t blame them.” Rex commented, studying the rusted exterior. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in years.”

“What’s the plan?” Nia asked. Instead of responding, Rex simply walked inside the building. The interior of the workshop was just as rusted as the exterior.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s home.” He said. “I wonder if he-” Before Rex could finish speaking, half a dozen Gormotti kids dropped from the rafters, wielding various workman’s tools and screaming themselves hoarse. They descended on Rex, but he rolled out from underneath their attack. As he sprung up from the ground, he fired his anchor, pulling one of the kids to the ground. He kicked another in the stomach to drive them back and planted his sword in the ground. Fire spewed from it for a moment before the sword locked down.

“What are you doing?!” Pyra shouted. “They’re just kids!”

“I wasn’t going to hurt them.” Rex protested. He sighed and sheathed his sword as the kids backed up against the far wall. “I was just trying to scare them a little.”

“They’re barely ten years old!” Nia said, storming into the room. “What the blood hell is wrong with you?”

“They attacked me! I didn’t know what was going on! And besides, they’re the ones who stole Roc’s Core Crystal.” Rex whirled around and jabbed a finger in the direction of the thief, who was shielding the other kids from Rex.

“You lot.” He growled, doing his best to lower his voice and sound intimidating.

“Kid, I’m not here to hurt anyone.” Rex said as the rest of the group filtered into the workshop. “But that Core Crystal was a gift from a friend. Just give it back, and we’ll be on our way.”

“If you want it so badly, come and get it!” The kid snarled. He retrieved the Core Crystal from his clothes and held it over the railing beside him. “But if you take one more step, I drop it!”

“Alright.” Rex shrugged. Suddenly, he swung his anchor up and caught the kid by the wrist. Rex pulled forward, pulling the kid to his knees and throwing the Core Crystal into the air. Rex caught it as it descended and pocketed it before the kid could stand up.

“There.” Rex smirked. “Now we’ll be going.” He turned around and began to leave the workshop.

“You give that back!” The kid shouted. He ran forward and grabbed a wrench off the ground. He swung the wrench at Rex’s head, but Nia stepped forward and caught it before Rex could turn around.

“Kid, just leave it.” She shook her head. She tore the wrench from his hand and tossed it behind her. “If you’re that hard up, there’s plenty of marks in Torigoth easier than a pack of Drivers.”

“What do you take us for?!” One of the other kids shouted from the far end of the room. “We’re not some poor beggars!”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Nia said, letting the thief’s wrist go. “I know a war orphan when I see one.”

“Nia, they’re just petty thieves.” Rex remarked. “Let’s go. We don’t have time for this.”

“No, I think we ought to stay.” Nia replied. “There’s more going on here. What make you kids decide to do something this dangerous?”

“Revenge.” The thief said, his eyes locked with Nia’s. “We’re gonna avenge our village!”

“And you were planning to awaken my friend’s Blade to do that?” Nia asked. “You know how dangerous that is? What happens if it fails?”

“You never know until you try!” The thief shouted back. “Long as one of us manages it, that’s all that matters!”

“Sounds like you really were desperate, my boy.” Gramps said. “Why don’t you tell us the whole story.”

“Yeah.” Nia nodded. “We might be able to help.”

“Are you… Are you sure?” The thief asked.

“Listen, kid.” Nia put her hand on the thief’s shoulder. “My name is Nia. My friends and I are Drivers. Helping people’s what we do. Whoever or whatever you’re after, we can take care of it no problem.”

“Alright…” The kid sighed, holding back a few tears. “My name is Rhys, from Cordell Village.”

“I know Cordell.” Nia replied. “Nice, quiet place. Dromarch and I spent some time there a few years back. What happened?”

“The bad men…” Rhys continued. “They came during the night and just started…” He couldn’t continue.

“Bandits.” Nia clenched her free fist. “Were there any other survivors?”

Rhys and the other kids didn’t reply. They just looked down.

“And you want these bandits dead?” Rex asked. Rhys nodded.

“Then we’ll help as best we can.” Nia smiled. “But in return, you all need to go apologize to the man you stole this boat from, back in Argentum. Think you can manage that?”

“Yes.” Rhys nodded.

“If we’re doing this, we’re doing it smart.” Rex said. “Now, I assume you know where these lowlifes are hiding out?”

“There’s a big cave over on Twin Trunks Hill.” One of the other kids said. “They use it as a hideout.”

“Rhys!” Another kid barged into the workshop. “It’s awful! Those scum are gonna-!” He stopped in his tracks as he saw Rex and the group. He took a step back and put his hand against a wrench handing on the wall. “Who’re they?”

“Don’t worry about them.” Rhys said. “What’s the matter?”

“R-right…” The kid let go of the wrench. “The bastards are planning to attack Torigoth!”

“Are you sure?” Rhys asked.

“Yeah. I overheard two of them talking about it in the city a few hours ago.”

“And it was definitely them?”

“Yeah. It looked like they were scouting the place out. They were saying with the Consul gone, now’s the perfect chance to take advantage.”

“A shrewd observation.” Dromarch nodded. “This would indeed be the perfect time to mount an attack.”

“Are you saying that idiot Consul was actually good for something?” Nia asked

“So… this all our fault?” Tora asked.

“Technically, Dolmes took out the Consul.” Rex shrugged. “But, knowing Vandham, he would have gotten around to it himself if his client hadn’t.”

“We can’t sit by and let this happen.” Pyra said.

“I guess we owe it to Vandham to clean up this mess.” Rex nodded. “Right, you lot!” Rex turned to the pack of kids. “You can leave those nasty bandits to us. We’ll avenge your village no problem.”

“Could I ask a favor, Rhys?” Nia asked. “I need you to take the others and go warn the city guard.”

“Warn them about the bandits?” Rhys asked.

“No, they probably won’t believe you if you said bandits were coming.” Nia shook her head. “Instead, tell them the group that destroyed the water tower are hiding out at Twin Trunks Hill.”

“If you say so.” Rhys shrugged. “But why?”

“We need to motivate the guard somehow.” Nia smiled. “Once you’re done, you book it right back here, understand? We’re counting on you.” She flashed Rhys a thumbs up and turned to head up the hill toward Gormott’s spine. The rest of the group was close behind her.

“What’re you thinking?” Rex asked once they were out of earshot of the kids. “Summoning the guard will just make our job that much harder.”

“These kids don’t want revenge.” Nia replied. “They want justice, and they want peace. We’ll go give those bandits what for, courtesy of Rhys, but we’ll leave their fate up to the guards.”

“So we’re not going to kill them?”

“Is that a problem?”

“I guess not.” Rex shrugged. “It’s just not what I expected from you. Last time we were in Gormott, you seemed pretty intent on tearing Mòrag and Brighid to pieces.”

“I got… emotional. Hard not to, given the circumstances. But I know from experience that revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And besides, if I want the world to change for the better, I need to change it with my own two hands. That starts with setting an example.”

“Changing the world, huh?” Rex asked. “I guess it’s a better plan than waiting for Elysium to solve your problems.”

“I never said I was.” Nia smiled. “Elysium might be my goal, but it’s not the only way we can change things.”

-

The group began to crest Twin Trunks Hill as the Sun began to set. In front of them, the top of the hill met with the sheer cliff face of Gormott’s spinal plate. As they neared their destination, they began to overhear voices. They slowed their advance and crouched within the shadow of a nearby rock outcropping. In front of them was a shallow cave in the side of the cliff. Several Gormotti Drivers and Blades stood around a campfire in the middle of the cave, sitting on supply crates and sharing a meal.

“Nia, this was your idea.” Rex said. “What’s the plan?”

“No time for complicated plans.” She replied. “We rush in and rough ‘em up. From the looks of ‘em, this’s Benjamin the Brain and his crew. Or what’s left of them, anyway. Former fighters in the Gormotti Liberation Front. I’ve had a few run-ins with them over the years. Last I heard, they’d all been caught, so they must’ve broken out recently. Once the guards show up, they’ll have plenty of reason to arrest them. We just need to be out of here before they do.”

“Without killing anyone.” Dromarch commented. “Lest we forget.”

“You don’t need to remind me.” Rex rolled his eyes. “Though I’d like to note that we’ll fighting with a severe handicap.”

“We’ll be fine.” Nia said. “Washed up has-beens like these guys will be no match for us.”

“If you say so.” Rex shrugged. “Let’s just get this over with.” The group drew their weapons and stepped out of hiding.

“Everybody put your hands up!” Nia shouted, startling the bandits. “Your raid tomorrow’s been canceled.” Instantly, they scrambled to their feet and clutched at their weapons.

“Who the hell are you punks?” A bandit wielding a spear shouted.

“They know about the raid.” Another wielding a large battleaxe responded. “I say we gut ‘em.”

“Hold it.” A heavyset man in the middle of the group said. Unlike the others, he had yet to stand or reach for his weapon. When he spoke, the rest of the bandits fell silent. “They’re Drivers.” He smirked. “So the city hired you, huh?”

“Why don’t you come over here and find out?” Rex asked.

“Cheeky brat.” The man frowned. He turned back to the rest of his group briefly. “Which one of you let the plan slip, you sods?”

“What do you mean, boss?” The spear man asked.

“They found out somehow.” The boss growled. “After this is over, I want to know exactly who let this happen.”

“Rather observant of you.” Nia chuckled. “I guess that nickname’s still worth something, eh Benjamin?”

“In the meantime,” Benjamin continued, “The offender can atone for his mistake.” He stood up. “Lads, slaughter the brats!” He drew a pair of twin rings from his back as the rest of his group charged forward. “We’ll make an example of ‘em!”

Two of the bandits charged Nia. One, wielding a katana, closed in next to Nia while another, the spear man, attempted to skewer her at range. She darted under the spear and toward the katana man. With the distance closed, she slammed her foot into his leg. As he lost his balance, she elbowed him in the side of the head, knocking him over. She spun around and caught the pole of the spear under her arm as its wielder attempted to swing it at her. She sliced it in half with her ring and jumped forward, kneeing the man in the gut. As he fell, she jumped back toward the katana man, who had begun to recover, and kicked him directly in the temple. When she landed, she kicked half of the broken spear off the ground and grabbed it, striking its wielder across the face with the broken end.

Rex, meanwhile, charged the oncoming bandits with his sword drawn back. Just as they came within range, he planted his feet and swung his sword, sending out a wave of fire that caught two of the bandits, breaking their ether shields. As they fell back, Rex sent another wave of fire directly at the boss, Benjamin. He jumped over the fire and toward Rex. He swung one of his twin rings down on Rex’s head as he descended. Rex raised his sword and blocked the attack. Their weapons slid past each other as Benjamin landed. Immediately he spun around and tried to slash Rex’s gut with his second ring. Rex drove his sword into the ground, blocking the attack and sending out another wave of fire at Benjamin. He jumped yet again, aiming both of his rings for Rex’s head as he flew forward. Rex ducked. As Benjamin reached the peak of his arc, Tora shot him with a Boom Biter. Just before the missile collided with his body, his Blade managed to put up an ether barrier around him. The ensuing explosion broke through it and sent him flying back into the cave.

Rex ran after Benjamin, leaving Tora and Nia behind. Rex found him while he was still reeling, having crashed into a pile of wooden crates and scattered dried rations across the cavern floor. Rex placed the edge of his sword across the man’s neck and his foot on his hand, pinning his ring to the ground.

“What are you waiting for?” Benjamin asked. “Finish the job, you little shit.”

“We’ll get there.” Rex said. “But first I’ve got some questions.”

“Rex, what are you doing?” Gramps asked. Rex didn’t respond.

“It takes a lot of balls to attack a city like Torigoth.” Rex continued. “That’s the kind of arrogance that comes with experience. You’ve been doing this for a while, I take it. Long enough for Nia to know you, at least.”

“I thought she sounded familiar.” Benjamin chuckled. “Just my luck, putting up against the Butcher’s Crew.”

“I’ll do the talking.” Rex pressed harder on Benjamin’s hand. “You must have met all kinds of scum like yourself during that time. I’m looking for an outfit like yours. A dozen or so people. Active in Leftheria around fifteen years ago. Much like yourself, they made a habit of raiding small towns. Among their casualties was Rigitte Village.”

“Never heard of it.” Benjamin spat. “A little before my time, I’m afraid.”

“Well you’d better start wracking your brain, “Brain”.” Rex said. “Your life depends on it.”

“Rex, I know what you’re doing.” Gramps said, leaning on Rex’s shoulder. “You need to stop this. You promised me you wouldn’t go looking for them again.”

“Listen to the furball, kid.” Benjamin smirked. “You aren’t half as threatening as you thi-” Rex drove his foot into the man’s side, cutting him off.

“Rex, what’s going on?” Pyra shouted from the cave’s entrance. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine!” He shouted over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to Benjamin and pressed the edge of his sword into his hostage’s throat, drawing blood. “I’m still waiting on your answer.” He snarled, quiet enough that Pyra wouldn’t be able to hear.

“Wait!” Benjamin sputtered, eyeing the sword against his neck. “There is one guy! I remember him back from my days in the guard!” Rex took the sword off the man’s throat but kept it hovered above his neck.

“Talk.”

“His name’s Bradly. He’s a professional assassin, and Gormott’s most wanted criminal before the Ardainian invasion. We’d gotten word he was running with a group called the Bloody Lobsters in Leftheria, but that was the last news we had of him. It’s possible he’s the man you’re looking for.”

“Where can I find him?”

“He’s a ghost, kid.” Benjamin shook his head. “I’ve only met him once myself, and that was a few years ago. We were both on a job in Uraya. The man was a real piece of work too. Took way too much pleasure in killing villagers. It was like a sport for him, almost. I’m telling you, kid, he’s not-”

“Shut up!” Rex shouted. He smashed the man’s nose in with the hilt of his sword. “Scum like you are no better! I should cut you down where you stand!”

“Why don’t you? You seem to think I deserve it.”

“I’m not going to kill you.” Rex sighed.

“Mercs who don’t take lives.” Benjamin laughed. “Just like that old coot Vandham. Last I heard his bleeding heart got him killed.”

“I said shut up!” Rex screamed. He raised his sword above Benjamin’s neck and brought it down. A stream of water knocked it out of his hands before he could cut the man’s head off.

“You bloody idiot!” Nia shouted, running over to Rex. “I explicitly told you not to kill anyone!” Dromarch, rings still in his mouth, trotted over to her side. Pyra was close behind.

“You don’t think Cordell Village deserves justice?” Rex asked. “I know we said we’d leave them alive, but look at them. Do you really think the world will be a better place with them in it?”

“I think we’re not killers.” Nia responded. “And I think the world would be a worse place if we were. Were you really prepared to cross that line just now? To end a man’s life on a whim?”

“…” Rex was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know.” He shook his head. “But I’m not comfortable with the idea of men like him getting off scot free for ruining people’s lives.”

“He won’t.” Nia put her hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Mor Ardain don’t take kindly to criminals. He’ll get what’s coming to him. We’d only stoop to his level if we killed him.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Rex pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just…”

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted before Rex could continue. “Help!”

Outside the cave, Tora and Poppi lay amongst the unconscious bandits, tangled in ether nets. In front of them was a contingent of Ardainian soldiers, led by a pair of Drivers and Captain Padraig. One of the Drivers was Jac, wearing an Ardainian soldier’s uniform save for the helmet. The other was an old Ardainian man with gray hair wearing the formal dress of a naval officer. Behind him was a Blade with similar military stylings. She wore an Adrainian military hat and boots and carried herself with the same demeanor that the officer did. The tops of her boots, however, were ringed in flames, and two giant, similarly enflamed arms thicker around than Dromarch hovered over her normal ones. An equally oversized katana hung at her waist.

“Well, what do you know?” The officer smirked. “Those kids were right on the money. The Tornan criminals who killed the Consul. And they’ve decided to give us a helping hand with some other local ruffians. Rather fortunate for us, right Jac?”

“Two birds with one stone, sir.” Jac replied.

“I don’t suppose you’ll be willing to come quietly?” The man asked. “I’d rather not have to resort to violence, but I can assure you I’m nothing like my predecessor. I won’t lose to a pack of children.”

“We’ll see about that.” Rex replied. He reached for his sword but grasped air instead. Flustered, it took him a moment to locate where it had landed. A moment he didn’t have.

“Suit yourselves.” The officer shrugged. “Newt!”

“Sir!” His Blade responded. Newt jumped into the air and slashed her katana, spewing forth a wall of flame at Nia and Rex. Rex dove toward his sword as the fire descended, and Dromarch threw up an ether barrier. As soon as the flames crashed and dissipated, ether nets began to fly. Nia was prepared, and she tore through an oncoming net with her rings. Pyra, however, wasn’t. A net hit her square on, knocking her to the ground and cutting off her ether flow. Just as Rex got his hands on his sword, it powered down.

Dromarch unleashed a jet of water at Newt as Nia charged the guards operating the ether net cannon from behind the Drivers. Jac intercepted her, swinging his lance at her stomach. She rolled underneath the attack and kept running. She sliced the cannon down the barrel as she reached it, and half a dozen Ardainian soldiers raised their weapons at her in response. She jumped, kicking off the side of the cannon and narrowly avoiding several attacks. Jac attempted to skewer her with his lance again, but she knocked his weapon aside as she landed between him and the officer. Newt rushed her, slashing upward at her head. Nia barely had time to avoid the strike before Jac thrust his lance into her back. Dromarch put up an ether barrier around her, deflecting the attack, but Newt soon followed up with a second slash.

“Rex!” Nia shouted, blocking the attack with her rings. “I could use a hand over here!”

“I’m working on it!” He replied. He’d run to Pyra’s side and was attempting to free her from the ether net to little success.

“There’s no time!” Pyra shouted. “You need to go help Nia.”

“I can’t do that without a Blade.” Rex said. “And I’m not just going to leave you like this.”

“Then use Roc!” Pyra continued. “You need to get back in the fight!”

“I’m not just going to-”

“Hurry up!” Nia shouted, cutting Rex off. Jac thrust his lance forward and struck her ribs. She grunted and spun around, grabbing Jac’s lance and pulling him toward her. As he lost his balance, she struck him square in the chest piece with one of her twin rings. She kicked him backward, and he fell to the ground. Before she could turn around, however, Newt struck her in the back, knocking her to the ground as well.

“Rex, now!” Pyra shouted.

“Fine.” He threw up his hands and reached into his pocket. He pulled out Roc’s Core Crystal and closed his eyes, concentrating. “Work, damn you.” He muttered. After a moment, the crystal began to glow. It spewed forth ether energy, surrounding Rex in a flash of light. As the ether subsided, it coalesced into Roc, form virtually unchanged from when he was Vandham’s Blade.

“Just great.” The officer sighed. “Another one. Newt, if you would?”

“With pleasure.” Newt nodded as a pair of soldiers dragged Nia to her feet. Newt darted forward and slashed at Rex’s chest. Roc’s dual scythes formed in his hands as she did, and he deflected the attack. He cut Pyra’s bindings with his second scythe and stood up. He began pressing the assault on Newt as Dromarch ran forward and attempted to rescue his Driver. Jac knocked him to the ground as he passed.

“That’s two down.” He said.

“Not quite.” Poppi announced. She strained against her bindings and tore her arms free of the netting. She activated her jets and shot forward, knocking Jac to the ground.

“Impossible!” Captain Padraig shouted. “No Blade should be able to fight the effects of an ether net!”

“Poppi no ordinary Blade!” Poppi replied, setting herself down and tearing Tora free from his own bindings. “Poppi’s ether furnace can run even without external supply.”

“Tora, get Nia!” Rex shouted, slamming his scythes together and creating a vortex of wind ether to knock Newt off her feet. “We’re leaving!”

“Oh no you don’t!” Newt responded. She began slashing her sword in all directions, throwing out several dozen waves of ether energy. They all formed a ring around the combatants, effectively trapping them against the cliff. Rex knocked her aside with a blast of wind ether but didn’t manage to stop her. Tora, Poppi, Dromarch, and Nia, all rushed to his position.

“We need exit!” Tora shouted, looking around the field.

“Leave it to me.” Roc said. He jumped into the air and began beating his wings. Gusts of wind ether began flowing across the battlefield, engulfing the flames. After a moment, they began to thin.

“Dromarch!” Nia shouted, pointing to a section of the flame wall that bordered the much steeper slope of Twin Trunks Hill than the one the party had come up. Dromarch nodded and launched a gout of water at the spot indicated, extinguishing the flames. Immediately he and Nia dove over the side, sliding down the nearly vertical slope. No one hesitated in following.

-

“You just had to call the guard!” Rex shouted as the group ran for Umon’s workshop.

“I’m not the one who tried to cut a man’s head off!” Nia shot back from on top of Dromarch. “We’d’ve been out of there before they showed up if you hadn’t lost it!”

“Save the arguing for after we get clear!” Pyra said, glancing over her shoulder to see Newt and Jac hot on their heels.

“Rhys!” Rex shouted, cupping his hands to his mouth. “Get your ship moving!”

“Rex?” Rhys asked, poking his head out the door of the workshop. “Is that you?” He took a step outside and stopped when he saw the crowd of Ardanian soldiers chasing the group down the hill.

“Cast off!” Rex continued to shout. “We’ll be right behind you!” Rhys darted inside and began gathering up the other kids. Their ship left the workshop’s dock just as Rex and the others began to peel off to where they had anchored Garram’s ship. They all scrambled on board, Poppi literally throwing Tora in, just as Newt caught up with them. She leapt at the ship, attempting to cut the Titan’s tail fin. Nia blocked her strike from the edge of the ship as Rex tore into the cabin and threw the ship in gear. The ship began to pull away from Gormott. Suddenly, they caught on the rope lines they’d used to anchor it to the Titan’s side. Everyone on board was thrown off their feet as the ship jerked to a stop.

“Cut the lines!” Rex shouted, pulling himself to his feet and steadying the helm. Nia and Roc began severing the ropes, Nia with her rings and Roc with his wind ether. With Nia distracted, Newt made another attack for the tail fin, but Tora threw himself at her and blocked the strike with his shield. Poppi caught him before he could fall out of the ship and threw a punch at Newt with her free hand. She blocked the attack with the flat of her katana, but it sent her flying back to land. By the time she stood to her feet, the ship was free and clear.

“Hell of a way to wake up.” Roc said as the ship pulled alongside Rhys’s. Nia and Dromarch climbed over and began directing the kids back to Argentum.

“It wasn’t by choice.” Rex replied. “I wasn’t even sure it would work, to be honest.”

“So you are my new Driver, then.” Roc commented, studying Rex. “A bit of a scrawny one, if you ask me, but oh well. My name is Roc, but you already knew that, apparently.”

“Your old Driver was a friend of ours. His name was Vandham.”

“So my core was passed down to you.” Roc looked around at the rest of the group. “I won’t pretend to know what’s going on, but I’m glad I could be of help.”

“We’ll catch you up later.” Pyra said. “It’s a lot to take in at once.”

“Might as well do it now.” Nia said. “It’ll be morning before we’re back in Argentum.”

“Good point. But where do we start?”

“Actually, I had a question, if you don’t mine.” Roc said.

“Of course.” Pyra replied. “Ask away.”

“My previous Driver…”

“You mean Vandham?” Rex turned around.

“Yes, this Vandham.” Roc nodded. “What kind of a man was he?”

“He was an idiot.” Rex sighed. “He constantly muscled into other people’s business. He was loud and imposing. He was always worrying about others before himself.” He paused for a moment. “And he was the bravest man I’ve ever known. He saved all of our lives, and it cost him his own.”

“I see…” Roc muttered. “Then I think I’d better do my part to protect you all as well. To carry on my former Driver’s will as best I can.”

“If you really want to carry on his will, then it’s not us you need to protect.” Rex replied. “Vandham had a village he looked after in Uraya. He may have died for us, but he lived for them. They were his family. Go protect them. We’ll be just fine.”

“I don’t like the idea of abandoning my Driver.”

“They need you more than we do.”

“I suppose…” Roc sighed. “If it was this Vandham’s wish to protect these people, then it is mine as well. If you ever need me, however, don’t hesitate to call for aid. You are my Driver, after all.”

-

The following morning Rex and the others stood at Goldmouth harbor, between Rhys’s group and a very angry Pittman and Garram.

“So you see…” Nia said. “Considering the situation, could you let them off the hook?”

“I lost a day’s work!” Pittman shouted from behind Garram. “I ought to skin you brats alive!”

“Calm down.” Garram said. “Can’t you see these kids’ve had a hard time?”

“We’re both in the hole several thousand gold!” Pittman replied. “How am I supposed to run a business like this?”

“How about this.” Rex said. “Make them work for the Guild, and get them to work off what they owe that way.”

“What?” Rhys asked.

“You want us to make salvagers of these brats?” Garram asked.

“I think they show a lot of promise.” Rex continued. “They’ve got pretty quick fingers, and Rhys knows his way around a Titan ship.”

Pittman frowned.

“Come on, you know it makes sense. They’re poor orphans with nowhere to go. Are you really just gonna turn them away?”

“It’ll cover what they owe me.” Pittman nodded, reluctantly. “But I can’t speak for Garram. You’re the one who stole his boat, after all.”

“Just charge Bana for it.” Rex responded. “He owes me a hundred grand anyway. Take whatever you lost from that.”

“Chairman Bana’s not here right now.” Garram shook his head. “He’s away on some business in Mor Ardain. But I’ll see what I can get from Pupunin.” He looked past Rex at Rhys’s group of kids. “You all come along with me, alright? We need to get your room and board suited if you’re going to start work.”

“Work hard, you rascals!” Rex shouted as the group left with Pittman and Garram. Rhys waved goodbye, tears in the corners of his eyes.

“I suppose I should be going too.” Roc said as the group began walking through the market. “Garfont Village is waiting for me.”

“We need to secure your ticket first.” Rex replied. “And we’ve got a boat to catch ourselves. We’ll walk you to the upper deck.”

“This is rather strange, isn’t it?” Roc asked. “What kind of Blade does this make me, leaving my Driver’s side so quickly?”

“Being a Blade’s got nothing to do with it.” Rex shook his head. “Vandham once told me that everyone has to face their own struggles. Fight their own war. I’ve got mine, and you’ve got yours. It’s as simple as that. If your war takes you to Uraya, I’ve got no right to stop you.”

“And besides, this isn’t goodbye forever.” Pyra said, putting a hand on Roc’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll see Rex again after we’ve reached Elysium.”

“I’m counting on it.” Roc smiled. “I think Vandham would have wanted you all to be successful. I wish you the best of luck.”

Roc took his ticket from the vendor and stepped onto one of the nearby ships. He gave everyone one final wave before it took off.

“Alright, level with me.” Nia said, watching Roc leave. “We could definitely use more firepower on our side. Why send Roc away?”

“The Garfont Mercenaries need him a lot more than we do.” Rex said.

“Then why not just leave Roc’s core with them in the first place?”

“I…” Rex sighed. “Awakening him wasn’t the plan. As nice as it was nice to have a memento of Vandham, I don’t think I can deal with a Blade that talks like him. Not now. Maybe later, but… For now, it’ll be better if he’s with the people Vandham cared about.”

“Are you sure that’s where he wants to be?”

“He said as much.”

“After you told him to go.” Nia said.

“What’s that got to… Oh.” Rex frowned. “_Oh. _Right. Dolmes.”

“If you don’t want Roc around right now, then I’ll understand. But he’s your Blade now, and you’re his Driver. You need to treat that bond with the respect it deserves.”

“Yeah.” He said, staring down at the ground for a moment. “I’ll… I’ll apologize next time I see him. But what’s done is done. We’ve got a boat of our own to catch.”

-

The next evening, just after the sun had set, a Guild ship pulled into a port on Mor Ardain’s waist. The humanoid Titan loomed over the ship, the glow of the molten ether just beneath its skin illuminating the landscape. On the deck of the ship, Nia stretched her legs waiting for the crew to officially let them disembark.

“It feels like we’ve been cooped up for weeks.” She said. “How many more boat rides are we going to have to endure before we’re in Indol?”

“They don’t trade with Argentum, so I can’t say for sure.” Rex replied. “I’ll need to check the Titans’ positions and start asking around, but hopefully from here we can charter a boat straight to the Praetorium.”

“Well whatever you’re going to do, you’d best do it quietly.” Pyra said, throwing up the hood of her cloak. “We are wanted criminals in Gormott. It’s possible the whole Empire knows our faces by now. And any Driver we run into is bound to recognize me from the rumors.”

“I’ll be as careful as I can, but we’re running low on options.” Rex sighed. “I’m almost out of cash. We might have to stick around here for awhile before we can scrounge up the money to get us to Indol. Not to mention the cost of room and board while we’re here. I can start looking for a Guild office in the morning, see if they have any work for a salvager, but…”

“I don’t like the idea of spending any more time here than we need to.” Nia scoffed. “Speaking of, where are we?” She looked around as the group walked through the port. Most of the surrounding landscape was desert, pockmarked with various mechanical ruins. At the far end of the port was a loading zone, with an elevator running straight up to a towering mass of steel above their heads attached to the Titan’s shoulder.

“Port Anangham.” Tora said, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Tora, you’ve been here before?” Nia asked.

“Tora grew up in Mor Ardain.” Tora beamed. “Tora move here with Dadapon Tatazo and Grampypon Soosoo when they begin work on Artificial Blade many years ago.”

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” Rex asked. “This is fantastic! You could show us around, then!”

“Tora did not want to bring it up.” Tora shook his head. “Tora knew when friends had decided to come to Mor Ardain it would mean he would have to as well, but…” Tora fell silent for a moment. “Tora left after Grampypon died and Dadapon disappeared. Tora not want to come back. But, if friends need Tora, then Tora will help. If friends follow Tora, Tora will lead them to capital. Rex-Rex can surely find what he needs there.”

Tora led the group over to the freight elevator on the far side of the port. It took them, and several shipping containers, up to the construct on Mor Ardain’s shoulder.

“Behold!” Tora shouted as the freight elevator’s doors opened. “Alba Cavanich! Capital city of Empire!”

The city stretched on before the group. It was much larger than Fonsa Myma and constructed almost entirely out of steel and other metals. The entire city was surrounded by walls, with large metal gates manned by dozens of soldiers at each exit. Pipes ran everywhere, expelling smog from every crack in the city’s infrastructure. The buildings rose several stories into the sky, propped up by a metal scaffolding of walkways and balconies. On the other side of the city rose a structure that dwarfed the rest: a great blue fortress, emblazoned with the crest of the Empire and separated from the rest of the city by a wall twice as high and thrice thick as the rest.

“This is… Something else…” Rex muttered, eyes darting between a dozen things. “It’s… basically the opposite of Torigoth.”

“All this smoke is going to be the death of me.” Nia coughed, waving her hand in a desperate bid to clear the air. “I always heard it was bad up here, but I didn’t think it was this unlivable.”

“We won’t be here long.” Rex said. “With any luck, we’ll be out of here by morning. Now let’s go find ourselves somewhere to sleep.” The group stepped off the freight elevator and into the streets of Alba Cavanich.

“Forget sleep!” Tora shouted as a market came into view. “Junk market here second to none in whole world! There bound to be places here selling rare parts for upgrading Poppi!”

“Masterpon,” Poppi slumped, “Poppi would rather use new parts if possible…”

“Never underestimate junk, Poppi.” Tora replied. “Tora built Poppi out of third hand parts in Torigoth. Imagine what upgrades could be made with premium junk.”

“Meh meh!” A Nopon across the street shouted. “Is that you there, Tora?!” He rushed across the street and ran up to the group. He had turquoise fur and a black tuft of hair on top of his head that looked styled with gel. He wore wireframe glasses, a white lab coat, and a disheveled orange shirt.

“Muimui!” Tora shouted. “Tora cannot believe it!” Muimui ran up to Tora and threw his wings around him.

“Muimui so glad to see you!” Muimui cried. “Muimui hear Tora still alive, but never think he see the day Tora return!” He turned to Poppi. “And could it be?” He ran up and began studying Poppi. “This look like Artificial Blade!”

“Muimui right!” Tora beamed. “Tora studied Grampypon and Dadapon’s blueprints carefully and finished construction!”

“Meh meh…” Muimui began flapping his wings excitedly. “How wonderful…” He stopped flapping and looked at the ground. “If only Professor Soosoo still here to see results of hard work.”

“I hate to interrupt.” Rex said. “But Tora, who is this guy?”

“This Muimui.” Tora replied. “Grampypon Soosoo’s assistant. Tora not seen Muimui since leaving Mor Ardain.”

“Muimui looked everywhere for Tora.” Muimui said. “That day, when Muimui got back, could only find Professor Soosoo’s body. Tora and Professor Tatazo nowhere to be found. Muimui feared the worst until Umon arrived in Empire and told me you were safe.”

“So even Muimui not know where Dadapon went…” Tora deflated.

“Wait, back up.” Nia said. “Attacked? What exactly happened?”

“Tora not feel like talking right now.” Tora said. “Maybe another time.”

“Do not feel down, Masterpon.” Poppi said. “We will find Dadapon someday. That is why Poppi exists, after all.”

“Anyway.” Muimui said. “Muimui apologize for interrupting your trip when you just arrived in city. Friend of Muimui run an inn nearby. Place with famous hot springs. If you like, Muimui can treat you all to some rooms, as celebration for Tora returning home!”

“Hot springs?” Tora asked. He pumped his wing in the air. “Muimui is best friend!”

“You sure change moods quickly.” Rex chuckled. “At least you’re feeling better. And I’m not about to turn down a free night’s stay at an inn.” He turned to Nia and Pyra. “I think we’ve all deserved a break for a change, don’t you? Especially after slumming it in Guild ships for so long.”

“I could go for a proper bath.” Nia nodded. “But we can’t forget why we’re here. We’re not tourists. We need to get to Indol.”

“Lighten up.” Pyra smiled. “You can relax a little for one night. We’ll start looking for a boat in the morning.” As the group followed Muimui to the inn, a Nopon wearing a brown coat looked on from the freight elevator.

-

“That feels good.” Nia sighed, sinking into the waters of the hot springs.

“Such wondrous bliss.” Poppi agreed. “Makes aching of journey melt away.”

“Hand on…” Nia said, eyeing Poppi. “Should you even be in the bath? Won’t you rust or something?”

“There no problem. Poppi made from special alloy. No rust or need for oil.”

“Tora thought of everything, huh?”

“Masterpon is finest Artificial Blade maker in all the world.”

“Hey, Pyra.” Nia said, her ears catching the sound of someone approaching. “Come on in the water’s grea-” Nia stopped speaking when she glanced up to see Mythra, towel wrapped around her waist, standing over her. “Mythra?”

“Is there a problem?” Mythra asked.

“I… Guess not, but…” Nia shrugged. “It’s just… we haven’t seen you since Vandham’s funeral.” Abruptly, Mythra switched back to Pyra.

“She was dead set on trying out the hot springs.” Pyra explained. Almost immediately, she switched back to Mythra.

“So, here I am.” She said. She threw off her towel and submerged in the water.

“Must be interesting for you guys…” Nia said, leaning back against the wall of the spring. “Can you just switch whenever?”

“With Pyra?” Mythra asked, stretching her arms. “Of course. Our memories are shared, so it’s not a big deal who’s in control at a particular moment.”

“Sounds terrifying.” Nia shuddered. “Having someone else take control like that. Doesn’t bear thinking about, really.”

“It’s not like I’m trapped when Pyra’s in control. I constructed Pyra so I wouldn’t have to worry about using my power, so I don’t see any issue when she wants to handle being in control for us.”

“And yet here you are, now. Why is that?”

“It’s my first bath in five hundred years. Can you blame me for wanting to savor it a little?”

“I guess not.” Nia chuckled.

They spent several minutes soaking before a sudden shockwave rocked the building complex the hot springs was attached to.

“What the hell was that?” Nia shouted. She jumped out of the water and ran back into the changing room.

“Felt like an explosion.” Mythra said, joining her in drying off and suiting up. While they were in the changing room, Mythra studied Nia for a moment. “Nia, are you-”

“No time for that, now.” Nia said, clamping her belt around her waist. “We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

-

“Listen, Salman, thanks for being here.” Rex said. He sat across from a large bald man in a suit in the inn’s lobby. “I know you’re on vacation, but I have to call in a favor. I need you to find me a captain you can trust able to get me and my friends on a boat to the Praetorium.”

“If it was just you, there wouldn’t be much of an issue.” Salman replied. “But that look on your face tells me this isn’t going to be so easy.”

“There’s seven of us. Including three Blades. None of them are registered, so we can’t risk passage on an imperial ship. We need a private contractor who won’t ask any questions.”

“You’re really twisting my arm, man.” Salman sighed.

“Salman, how much money have we made together?” Rex asked. “How many times have I come through for you? I need you to do this for me, please. I wouldn’t be asking you if there was another way, you know that, but I can’t risk the Empire catching wind of me. I managed to get here under the radar thanks to the Guild, but I don’t know how long that’ll last.”

“Are you in trouble or something?” Salman asked. “Just what have you gotten yourself into?”

“It’s… complicated.” Rex sighed. “I wish I could tell you, but it’s probably better for both of us if you don’t know.”

“Suit yourself.” Salman said. He stood up and turned to leave. “I’ll find your boat, just give me a few days. In return, I want a cut of the action.”

“Pardon?”

“You don’t need to play dumb.” Salman looked back over his shoulder and smirked. “I know you too well, kid. It’s not like you to make friends if money isn’t involved. I want a cut of whatever you guys rake in from whatever this venture of yours is, you here?”

“Right…” Rex nodded slowly. “Sure. Yeah. Ten percent.”

“That’s the best you can do?”

“Unless you’re willing to restart the search for those bandits I asked you about, I think I’ll save that money for a different investigator.”

“I’m telling you, give it up. You’re not going to find them, no matter how much money you throw around.”

“And if I had a name? Something real to go on this time?”

“I’m listening.” Salman turned back to face Rex.

“Bradly. Of the Bloody Lobsters. One of Gormott’s most wanted criminals.”

“And you’re sure it was him?”

“I’m sure it’s a place to start.”

“Thirty-five percent, and I’ll look into that too. And this better be some haul.”

“Done.”

“I knew I could count on you Rex.” Salman smiled. “I’ll be back when I’ve got your ship lined up. I’ll get started on that other lead when I’m back in Argentum.” He turned away again and left the inn. Rex sighed and sank further into the couch he was sitting on. He sat there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, before heading back up the stairs to the room he, Dromarch, Tora, and Gramps were all staying in.

“How’d the meeting go?” Dromarch asked.

“He’ll find us a ship.” Rex responded, staring out the window. “But he’ll be expecting compensation. A thirty-five percent cut.”

“Cut of what?” Gramps asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve thrown yourself into another seedy venture again.”

“Have a little faith.” Rex shook his head. “He thinks I’m up to something. I had to string him along to get him to agree. A few weeks ago, he might have been right on the money, but… Not anymore I guess.”

“And you’re not concerned you just lied to this man?” Gramps fluttered into Rex’s face. “What will you do when he finds out there is no money to pay him with.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Rex waved Gramps off. Suddenly, a shockwave rippled through the building. Rex leaned up against the window and saw a plume of smoke rising into the sky from a nearby rooftop.

“Sounds like some kind of disturbance.” Dromarch commented.

“I think there’s been an explosion.” Rex said. “I wonder what’s going on.”

“Perhaps we should find out.” Gramps offered.

“And risk drawing attention to ourselves? I’m as concerned as the next guy, but should we really risk getting caught by the military just to satisfy our curiosity?”

“People might need help.” Tora said, grabbing his shield. “Tora will go. Rex-Rex should come too.”

“Fine.” Rex groaned. He grabbed his sword from the side of his bed, and the four of them left the room. They ran up the stairs another two flights until they arrived at the building’s roof. Just as they did, Rex’s sword switched from Pyra’s to Mythra’s. A moment later, Mythra, Nia, and Poppi all came running through the door to the hot springs.

“What’s that look for?” Mythra asked, noticing Rex staring at her.

“I was just…” He paused. “Surprised to see you.”

“You’d rather I was her?”

“That’s not it.” He replied. “It’s just… didn’t think you’d be back any time soon.”

“Whatever.” Mythra scoffed.

“Let’s just get going.” Nia sighed. The group started running toward the smoke. As they neared it, they began to hear sounds of conflict.

“Mythra, I-” Rex began to speak again as the group ran.

“What?” Mythra asked, cutting him off.

“I know I’m not what you expected. I forced you to use your power, and I let you down. And I’m sorry about that. I assumed you wanted nothing to do with me, after Vandham’s funeral. But if you’re here, then we’ll need to work together. So how about we start fresh? Try getting along?”

“Alright.” Mythra sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on you. This is all new to you, after all. Since we might be in a fight soon, you should know that, while my power is much stronger than Pyra’s, it’s much more difficult to use in tight spaces. It’ll take some getting used to.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”

The group neared a metal catwalk between two rooftops. Three Ardainian soldiers stood at one end, surrounded by the bodies of more than a dozen of their comrades. A figure draped in a black cloak ran across the catwalk, away from the soldiers. They raised their guns and shot her repeatedly in the back. The bullets collided off her, sparking and falling to the ground. The figure turned around and began running at the soldiers.

“Is she a Blade?” One of them asked, frantically reloading his weapon.

“Look out!” Another one shouted. At that moment, the figure reached the soldiers. Before they could fire their weapons again, she struck one in the chest, knocking him to the ground. She swept another off his feet and slammed his head into the ground. The third tried to stab her with his bayonet, but she grabbed his neck and forced him to his knees before he could. Struggling to gain purchase against his foe, the soldier grabbed her cloak. She kicked him in the chest, and he ripped off her cloak.

“What the…” Rex muttered as the group reached the other side of the rooftop. As the figure stood up, the clouds parted, and moonlight spilled down onto the rooftops, illuminating her. She was an Artificial Blade, like Poppi. She had orange eyes, black hair, and wore a black maid’s outfit. In the center of her chest was an orange, glowing brooch.

“Lila?” Tora exclaimed. Lila stared at him for a moment, her expression unchanging, before turning around. Mounted on her back was a pair of rocket boosters. They roared to life, taking her over the next set of rooftops.

“Wait!” Tora shouted, running after her. “Lila!”

“Wait up, Tora!” Nia said as the group ran after him. From another rooftop, the Nopon in the coat studied the group’s movements through a pair of binoculars.

-

“Not here…” Tora muttered, looking around the rooftops. As he ran, he tripped over his own feet and tumbled off the side of a roof. He hit the ground with a bounce and was back on his feet again in a moment. He continued running. “Where did she go…?”

“Tora, wait!” Rex shouted from a rooftop. That seemed to jolt him back to reality. It took the group a moment to get down to him.

“Did you know that girl?” Gramps asked as the group caught up. “She seemed somehow similar to Poppi.”

“It was Lila.” Tora said, eyes downcast. “Artificial Blade Tora’s Dadapon and Grampypon were making. Tora recognize her anywhere.”

“Masterpon.” Poppi said, eyes flickering. “Ether furnace reading nearby. Up there!” She pointed to a piece of scaffolding above the party. Lila stood, concealed in the shadows of it. Slowly, she emerged from her hiding place.

“Lila.” Tora said. “It is you.”

“Ether furnace reading detected.” Lila said. “Initiating Protocol.” She jumped from the scaffolding and landed in front of the group, her boosters firing at the last second to slow her fall. The second she landed, large metal gauntlets emerged from her back and slid over her hands. Before anyone in the party could react, she rushed forward, slamming her fist into Tora’s shield. A hole in the front of her gauntlet let rip an explosion, sending Tora tumbling across the ground.

“Masterpon!” Poppi screamed. She dove behind him and caught him. Lila tried to rush forward, but Rex slashed at her chest. She jumped back, barely avoiding the energy surrounding Rex’s sword. Poppi set Tora down and jumped forward, slamming her foot into Lila’s gauntlet. Lila parried the strike and knocked Poppi to the side. Immediately, she was hit with a sonic roar from Dromarch, pushing her back. Rex ran forward and anchored to Lila’s foot. As he pulled her off balance, Poppi recovered and punched Lila in the jaw, launching her into the air. Poppi jumped up after her, intending to smash her back to the ground. Lila activated her rocket boosters and narrowly avoided Poppi’s attack, instead slamming her gauntlets into Poppi’s chest and launching her back to the ground with an explosion. Poppi carved a scar in the pavement as she ground to a halt.

Lila raced after Poppi, attempting to punch her again, but Tora jumped in the way, activating his drill. Lira cut her boosters and changed course, barely avoiding skewering her hand on Tora’s drill. He slammed the drill into her side as she flew past, knocking her into the side of a building. Rex, Tora, and Nia all closed in on where she landed. As they neared, she shot out from the dust and struck Nia in the side. Nia slashed at Lila as she went flying, cutting her gauntlet on the side. Poppi jumped forward and threw another punch at Lila. She caught it, arresting Poppi’s momentum. She reared back her free hand to send Poppi flying as well, but Rex stabbed through her gauntlet with a downward strike, pinning it to the ground.

Lila clenched her fist and fired an explosion from her pinned gauntlet. The force tore her arm free, leaving the gauntlet behind a mangled mess. With Poppi still in her grip, she whirled around and threw her at Rex. Rex dodged the attack with Mythra’s foresight and ran to strike Lila again. Poppi immediately shot back with her jets, slamming into Lila. The pair of them went tumbling across the ground. Nia pulled herself from the rubble just as they went past. Lila eventually managed to get the upper hand, grabbing Poppi’s head and slamming her into the ground repeatedly. Tora ran forward to stop her, but Lila tossed Poppi at him. He attempted to catch her, but she proved too heavy, and the pair flew back. Lila prepared to boost after them, but Nia shot forward, catching her in the side of the face with one of her rings. Lila rolled to the side, but as she stood Dromarch pounced on her. He pinned her to the ground and tried to hit her with a water jet. She kicked him in the stomach and threw him aside. Nia jumped over him and brought her rings down on Lila’s head as she recovered. Lila blocked with her remaining gauntlet and tried to punch Nia. Rex rolled forward and slammed his sword into the ground, sending out a beam of light that struck Lila in the leg. She lost her balance and fell, and Nia slipped one of her rings past Lila’s guard and sliced her arm joint, almost severing her arm.

“Probability of success falling.” Lila said, her joints beginning to spark. “Switching to strategic retreat mode.” She activated her boosters and soared in an arc, touching down on the other side of a metal fence blocking the alleyway from the main road.

“Lila! Wait!” Tora shouted, stowing his shield and running after her. Poppi ran forward and slammed her fist into the fence, nearly knocking it down. It took her several blows, but it eventually gave way. Once it did, Tora immediately resumed running after Lila. The group ran over the demolished fence and turned onto the main road to follow Lila. They found themselves face to face with the great gate of Alba Cavanich and the bridge anchoring the capital to Mor Ardain’s shoulder. Unlike earlier in the evening, the gate was unmanned. No one else was in sight either. Lila had disappeared.

“She’s gone.” Rex said, panting.

“Ether furnace reading lost.” Poppi confirmed. “It seems she has escaped.”

“Lila…” Tora sighed.

“So, are you going to fill us in?” Rex asked.

“About what?” Tora replied.

“Lila, or whatever her name was, just tried to kill us. You know who she is. I think we deserve an explanation.”

“Very well.” Tora said. “Friends have helped Tora this far. They deserve to know everything. Long time ago, Grampypon Soosoo and Dadapon Tatazo were working on her. Her name was Lila. Grampypon and Dapapon both wanted to become Driver. But neither of them have potential. So they decide to work together and make Artificial Blade. But then…”

-

Two Nopon stood in a workshop. One was old, with graying hair and a small goatee. The other was middle-aged, sporting a thin mustache. The two of them were looking over a set of plans on the workbench in front of them. Next to them, hanging in a mechanical rig, was Lila.

“Worry not, Sonnypon.” Soosoo said. “When Muimui gets back with parts, we can begin construction on regulator.”

“I not convinced current regulator design will suffice.” Tatazo shook his head. “We cannot afford to blow out another furnace prototype. If we restrict ether flow by further 12 percent, we can prevent overheating.”

“Where did Sonnypon’s sense of adventure go? We cannot achieve dream without a little risk.”

“What Grampypon and Dadapon argue about?” Tora asked, entering the workshop from another room.

“Grampypon wants to blow up another furnace.” Tatazo said with a chuckle.

“Just you wait.” Soosoo scoffed. “My furnace design will surely-” Suddenly the front door burst open. Half a dozen spear-wielding Tirkin, Nopon-sized bird creatures, poured into the room. Following them was a Nopon dressed in all black, wearing a black fox mask. In his hand he held a gun. Before he could speak, however, Soosoo grabbed a wrench from the workbench and threw it at him, knocking him down. Instantly Tatazo bolted for Tora, picking him up and carrying him further into the workshop. The masked Nopon recovered and raised his gun to Soosoo’s head. A shot rang out, and Soosoo collapsed to the ground.

“You must run, Tora!” Tatazo shouted, unlatching a box from his belt. “Take this and go!” He shoved it into Tora’s arms.

“Dadapon, I don’t understand!” Tora shouted back.

“Live, my Sonnypon!” Tatazo continued. He grabbed Lila’s prototype gauntlet from a nearby rack and fit it over his wing. “Someday, you finish what we started!” Just then, a Tirkin stormed into the room. Tatazo punched it in the face, sending it flying. He screamed and ran into the hallway, swinging his gauntlet wildly. Tears in his eyes, Tora climbed out the window of the workshop and ran as fast as he could.

-

“After that, Tora run.” Tora said. “Board ship to Gormott and go live with Uncle Umon in Torigoth city. Slowly making Poppi based on blueprints and ether furnace Dadapon left for Tora.”

“Don’t you have any idea who the attackers were, after all this time?” Mythra asked.

“Tora not know who.” He shook his head. “But they definitely wanted to steal Lila.”

“I guess they succeeded.” Nia remarked. “And it looked like there were imperial soldiers after her. Why d’you suppose that was?”

“Tora have no idea. But Tora know one thing. When bad guys attacked lab, Lila was not finished. There only one who could finish making Lila: Dadapon Tatazo!”

“Which means Tora’s father must still be alive somewhere?” Gramps asked.

“Dadapon must be held captive by whoever using Lila.” Tora said. “If we find Lila, then maybe-”

“You there!” A soldier shouted. “Don’t move!” Several dozen soldiers rounded the corner, surrounding the party from both sides. After they had formed up, the pack parted, and Mòrag and Brighid walked into view.

“You!” Nia snarled.

“So we meet again.” Mòrag said. “Driver of the Aegis. I’ve been looking forward to this.”

“I can’t say the same.” Rex replied.

“The Aegis has changed. What happened to her appearance?”

“Order your men to lower their weapons and maybe we’ll tell you.”

“Lady Mòrag!” One of the soldiers shouted. “She’s the one! That mechanical girl took down our squad!”

“Hang on a minute!” Rex protested. “Where the hell’d you get that idea?”

“It appears they cannot tell difference between Lila and Poppi.” Poppi sighed.

“So… Rex, was it?” Mòrag asked. “I must say, I find myself rather disappointed. First you kill the Torigoth Consul, then you attack Grand Marshall Robalt. Now here you are, stooping to even pettier crimes.”

“First of all, the Consul’s own Blade did him in, not us.” Rex replied. “And you’ve got your facts twisted around if you think we did whatever you’re accusing us of now.”

“You can save your confession for when you lie defeated.” Mòrag drew her swords and tossed one to Brighid.

“Rex, this bridge is too unstable.” Mythra said. “We can’t risk using my power here. I’m sticking to foresight for now. When you need to attack, I’ll switch with Pyra.” Rex nodded. Mòrag and Brighid cracked their swords across the ground, extending them to their full length. In unison, the pair wove them through the air, creating a writhing mass of flame. When it was large enough, they whipped the swords through it, sending the flames racing toward Rex.

Immediately, Rex’s foresight activated. He could see the trajectory of each rivulet of flame as they soared through the air. Casually, he stepped forward and wove a path through the flames as they arrived. After a moment, the flames all coalesced where he once was, exploding in a blinding gout. Rex stood in front of it, virtually unharmed.

“I see your skills have improved, boy.” Mòrag spat.

“Now it’s my turn!” Rex shouted. Mythra switched back to Pyra, and she grabbed the sword handle alongside him. They leveled the sword at Mòrag. A column of fire erupted from its tip, striking the ground at Mòrag’s feet and driving her back.

“Pyra?” Rex asked. “We missed.”

“She would’ve blocked it.” Pyra replied. “Better to force her back.”

“Are you holding back on me again, boy?” Mòrag asked. She leveled her sword at him.

“Does it bother you that much?” Rex smirked. “If you want me to hit you, then make me.”

“You’ll regret those words.” Mòrag readied her swords for another attack.

“Enough!” A voice shouted, cutting across the bridge. “Both of you!” A yellow-furred Nopon in a brown overcoat emerged from behind Mòrag.

“Well I’ll be.” Mòrag said, lowering her weapons. “Niranira. To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Lady Mòrag, stand down arms.” Niranira said. “These not the ones who infiltrate the facility and attack your soldiers.”

“Then who was the culprit behind the attack? My men said they were assaulted by a mechanical girl. You’re telling me it wasn’t her?” She pointed one of her swords at Poppi.

“They very similar, but not the same. Niranira saw her with own eyes.”

“I had a feeling we were being watched since our arrival.” Dromarch commented.

“I quite sorry for causing concern. Niranira has been auditing Argentum Trade Guild in conjunction with Ardainian military.”

“Guild Central Intelligence.” Rex sighed. “Well that figures. So you thought we were here on Guild business because of the ship we came in on?”

“Actually, Niranira recognize you from known list of associates.” Niranira pointed at Rex. “You are direct subordinate of Bana, primary target of audit. Niranira assumed you here on his behalf.”

“How ironic that your suspicion should happen to prove our innocence.” Dromarch chuckled.

“Innocence is hardly the word I would use.” Mòrag said. “Even if I were to ignore everything you six did in Torigoth, we still have the issue of the Torna girl.”

“I have a name, you know!” Nia shouted, twin rings drawn.

“Quite a famous one, as it turns out.” Mòrag continued. “I dug up your file after you fled Torigoth. Soldiers used to speak about you in whispers before your capture. Terrified the Butcher of Gormott would find them in their sleep. Tell me, Rex, are you aware of who you’re travelling with?”

“Nia, what’s she talking about?” Rex asked.

“It was war.” Nia said, gritting her teeth. “Live or die. Them or me. I chose me.”

“I would hardly call terrorism and banditry war.” Mòrag raised her swords again. “You’re a thug. I’m taking you in.”

“I’m the thug? Look who’s talking, “Flamebringer”. I didn’t march into your country unprovoked. I didn’t burn your family alive! You Ardainians took everything from me! I wanted to take it back.”

“What you took was the lives of eighty-seven Ardainian soldiers as a resistance fighter, and who knows how many more as a Tornan terrorist. If you won’t come quietly, then-”

“Stand down arms.” Niranira said, putting a wing in front of Mòrag. “There is way we can avoid needles conflict. Rex and friends have some connection with culprit we’re after. Perhaps they can assist in investigation?”

“Perhaps.” Mòrag thought for a moment. Then she lowered her swords. “Guards, stand down.” Tentatively, the soldiers lowered their weapons. “I am willing to be civil, in this instance. If you can tell us what we need, then we can set aside your past crimes. Temporarily, at least.”

“A stay of execution.” Nia remarked. “How generous of you.”

“Would you rather I arrest you now?”

“What is it you need?” Rex asked, sheathing his own sword. He motioned for Nia to do the same.

“Not here.” Mòrag shook her head. “We’ll talk back at the palace.” She turned and began walking toward the other end of the city. Brighid and Niranira followed. After a moment, so did everyone else.

-

Sometime later, Mòrag, Brighid, and Niranira stood alone with Rex and the others in the halls of Hardhaig Palace.

“So this Blade once belonged to your father?” Mòrag asked.

“That right.” Tora nodded. “Lila used to be Blade of Grampypon and Dadapon. Tora not know why Lila attack him.”

“Well that’s fairly obvious.” Brighid commented. “I hate to say it, but it sounds like your father was killed. Whoever reawakened his Blade must also be the person we’ve been looking for.”

“That not possible!” Tora shouted. “No one but Dadapon could have finished Lila!”

“Finished?” Niranira asked. “What you mean?”

“I’m curious about that as well.” Mòrag mused. “Your own Blade does seem unusual. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was artificially made.”

“Oh, well…” Tora stammered. “By finished, Tora mean-”

“Everything we say stays between us.” Rex said, drawing everyone’s attention. “You can’t breathe a word of it to anyone else. No matter what. Can I trust you three to agree to that?”

“Niranira is professional.” Niranira beamed.

“It depends on what is said.” Mòrag replied. “I won’t hesitate to act on information if it means protecting Mor Ardain.”

“In this case, I think you’ll agree acting on this information would be the last thing you want.” Rex said.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Can I trust you or not?” Rex asked again. Mòrag was silent for a moment.

“Yes.” She said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to carry out my duties.”

“Poppi and Lila are Artificial Blades.” Rex sighed. “Designed by Tora’s family. He built Poppi, and we think someone forced his father to finish Lila.”

“An Artificial Blade…” Brighid muttered.

“If Indol finds out, there could be hell to pay.” Rex continued. “We don’t know what they’ll do if they learn about her, but I guarantee it won’t be good. So you can’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then I should report this to His Majesty immediately.” Mòrag frowned. Rex grabbed the handle of his sword. “But…” She sighed. “We already agreed to a truce. It would be a shame to break it now.” Rex relaxed his grip.

“What does that mean?” Tora asked.

“It means we need to focus on the task at hand. From what you’ve told me, the person who had Lila raid our Core Chip supply likely has Tora’s father held captive. For the moment, at least, our interests align.”

“You want us to work with you?” Nia asked.

“I’ll need some time to process what you all have told me. But I think it would be better for everyone involved if we avoided future conflict. So, if you help us catch this criminal, I’ll stay silent about your Artificial Blade for as long as I can.”

“I don’t buy it.”

“I’d reconsider.” Mythra said. “It’s definitely better to have them working with us than against us. We shouldn’t take the power of Brighid, Jewel of the Empire, too lightly.”

“I am honored that the Aegis herself thinks so highly of me.” Brighid smiled.

“We’ve fought before. If you’re half as good with her as you were with Hugo, even I wouldn’t be able to hold back.”

“You knew Emperor Hugo?” Mòrag asked.

“Story for another time.” Mythra shook her head. “I say we go for it.”

“Mythra’s right.” Rex said. “And we’ve got a few days until Salman gets back to me, anyway. Might as well find Tora’s dad while we’re here.”

“I guess so…” Nia sighed. “But I’m keeping my eye on you.”

“Alright then.” Rex smiled. “From this moment on, I suppose we’re allies.” Rex extended his hand to Mòrag. She took it with a hardy shake.

“I will instruct the guard to cooperate with you.” Mòrag said. “But I’ve administrative duties to attend, so Niranira will be leading the investigation in my stead. If you learn anything substantial, come find me.” Mòrag and Brighid turned to leave.

“Niranira will do utmost to succeed.” Niranira bowed. “Now, let us begin investigation.” Niranira left the palace with Rex and the others.

“Are you sure you wish to partner yourself with these people?” Brighid asked once they were out of earshot.

“Just as we were not using our full strength, neither still were they.” Mòrag responded. “Yet you saw the power they demonstrated. How could I not feel intrigued?”

“Drawn by your Driver instincts?”

“Something like that.” Mòrag smiled.

-

“It sound like you have quite the adventure.” Muimui said. He and the group all stood in one of the rooms they’d rented in the inn. “But it good that you work things out. What happened to other friend you mentioned? Niranira?”

“He’s buggered off.” Rex sighed. “Works better alone, apparently.”

“So now it up to us to track Lila down.” Tora said.

“You say that.” Nia said. “But we’ve no idea where to begin.”

“Muimui can help!” Muimui beamed. “Muimui hear of large volume of parts moving through local junk market. Perhaps parts for Artificial Blade among them?”

“How will that help?” Rex asked.

“Construction of Artificial Blade requires extensive testing.” Tora explained. “Even Dadapon would likely go through several ether furnace designs before finishing construction of Lila. Could still need many parts for maintenance and repairs.”

“Meaning if Tora and friends check markets for who buying lots of parts, might find whoever kidnapped Professor.” Muimui finished.

“Good Idea! Tora know what parts to look for.”

“Sounds fantastic.” Rex said, throwing himself onto his bed. “We’ll get started first thing in the morning.”

“Rex-Rex not want to start now?”

“Tora, we’ve been running around the city all night. I’d love to find your dad right now, but I’m running on empty.”

“I agree with Rex.” Nia yawned. “I’m about ready to pass out too. Sorry, Tora.”

“It would be wise to recuperate before beginning such an undertaking.” Gramps said, stretching out in Rex’s helmet.

“There no time to lie around!” Tora began stomping his feet. “Dadapon Tatazo waiting for rescue!”

“He’s been waiting for years.” Rex shrugged. “I’m sure he can wait one more day.”

“Fine!” Tora huffed. “If friends will not help, then Tora will search alone!” Tora stormed out of the room.

“Masterpon!” Poppi shouted after him. “Wait!” She followed him out of the room.

“Shouldn’t we do something about that?” Mythra asked.

“He’s just anxious.” Rex replied. “Let him work out his nerves, he’ll be back in an hour or two.”

“I don’t know…”

“If you want to go after him, be my guest. I’m going to bed.”

“I’m dealing with this in the morning.” Nia sighed. “Tora can take care of himself until then.”

“You’re all just okay with this?” Mythra looked around the room.

“It’s Tora.” Rex protested. “How much trouble can he really get himself into?”

-

“Lazy friends.” Tora muttered, still stomping as he left the inn. “Tora will show them. Tora will find Dadapon on his own.”

“Masterpon, where are we going?” Poppi asked.

“Listen up, Poppi!” Tora announced, planting his feet and turning around to face her. “We will find Dadapon Tatazo ourselves.”

“How?”

“Tora have clever plan. We search junk market for parts used in Artificial Blade. Then follow trail of parts back to Dadapon.”

“That was Muimui’s plan.” Poppi sighed. “Masterpon just wants to search junk shops for parts.”

“Do not doubt your Masterpon!” Tora shouted. “We will find Dadapon! Observe!” Tora whirled around a sidled up to a large bald man hawking parts at the edge of the market.

“Need something in particular?” The man asked. “Or are you just browsing?”

“Tora looking for someone, not something.” Tora said. “Tora want to know if anyone purchased parts in large quantities.”

“What kind of volume are we talking?”

“Very… Large!” Tora gestured vaguely around his head with his wings. “Tora hear rumors of very large volumes! Tora must speak with buyer, immediately!”

“Sorry, little guy.” The man shook his head. “I don’t do wholesale. But from what you’re describing, it sounds like the job Isset recently took on. Maybe he can tell you more.”

“And where can Tora find this Isset?”

“That’s funny, I can’t seem to recall.” The man smirked, extending his palm. “Maybe you could jog my memory?”

“Tora does not like jogging.” Tora shook his head. “Too tiring. Besides, Tora not know how jogging could help memory loss.”

“A Nopon who won’t grease a palm.” The man retracted his palm. “Now I’ve really seen it all. You out of gold or something?”

“Why friend ask? Tora not know what gold has to do with anything.”

“You really are something else.” The shopkeeper sighed. “If I tell you where Isset’s shop is, will you stop hogging my storefront?”

“Friend remembers now?” Tora asked. “Why didn’t friend just say so?”

“Why I ought to…” The man pinched the bridge of his nose. “Isset’s shop is three stalls down. The one with the fancy awning.”

“Tora thanks you, shiny-head friend!” Tora beamed, motioning for Poppi to follow him further into the market. He walked up to Isset’s shop, much the same way he had for the previous one.

“Tora hear you sell many quantities of part!” Tora announced, walking up to the stall.

“Whose asking?” A twelve-year-old Ardainian kid on the other side replied.

“Sorry, my mistake.” Tora said. “Tora looking for Isset, seller of large quantity of parts. Does friend know him?”

“You’re looking at him.” The kid said, narrowing his eyes. “And we ain’t friends.”

“Friend is Isset?” Tora asked. “Tora very impressed. Tora never have real job before, much less when he was friend’s age.”

“Are you buying something or not?”

“Tora looking for someone, actually. Tora hear Isset sell many large shipments of parts. Tora want to know if-”

“Let me stop you right there, “friend”. I don’t give out information on my clients. When they buy from me, they expect professional service, and that includes not taking bribes from two-bit Nopon swindlers looking for a quick con. You want to scalp someone’s clients? Try Maghillic next door. I hear he’s rather on board with that sort of slimy crap, if you’ve got the cash.”

“Tora think friend confused. Tora only want to speak with buyer. Have something very important to discuss with him.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you do.” Isset crossed his arms. “Now get your ass off my storefront before I call the guard.”

“There must be some mistake.” Tora shook his head. “This matter of life and death. Is very important that Tora speak with buyer.”

“Suit yourself.” Isset shrugged. “I did warn you, though.”

“Isset!” A man on the other side of the market shouted, just as Isset was about to shout. The man stomped up to Isset’s stall and slammed his hands on the counter. “You two-bit huckster! Where’s my black ash?”

“Cool your spines, Timell.” Isset shot back. “Your shipment isn’t due for another two days.”

“Like hell it is!” Timell continued. “I told you yesterday I had to move up the delivery date! My clients are growing impatient, what with the sorry supply you’ve been providing!”

“Three crates aren’t enough for you? Well boo-hoo. If I try to move any more at a time, the Guild’ll jump down my throat. But as it happens, you’re in luck. My salvagers had a good haul today, so I can have your order ready in half an hour. For a reasonable fee, of course. Express shipping isn’t cheap, you understand.”

“You little weasel.” Timell spat. “Fine.” He unclipped a pouch from his belt and tossed it onto the counter. “Is that enough for you?”

“You are man who buys black ash?” Tora asked.

“I thought I told you to beat it.” Isset said, counting the gold in the pouch. Tora didn’t respond.

“Black ash is primary component in ether furnace shielding.” Tora slung his shield off his back and pointed it at Timell. “You are parts-buying man, yes? Tell Tora where Dadapon is!”

“Isset, what’s- Tora?” Timell asked. “Well I’ll be, it really is you. We all thought you were dead. And you’re a Driver now, no less.”

“Man knows Tora?”

“I guess it figures you wouldn’t remember me. I wasn’t around Soosoo’s shop much. I was your dad’s main supplier. You know, before he-”

“Dadapon Tatazo is alive!” Tora shouted. “Tora knows all, so no use lying!”

“I’ll let you two sort this out.” Isset said. “I’ll have your shipment ready in a jiffy, Timell.”

“Wait, hold up.” Timell put out his hands. “This is news to me. You’re telling me Tatazo survived the fire?”

“Timell should already know that, seeing as how Timell is one keeping him prisoner.”

“I’m… Not sure how to respond to that.”

“Timell buying black ash for ether furnaces. Timell must be one forcing Dadapon to continue work.”

“Hey, I just move the stuff. Honest. I drop it off at the Old City and it gets picked up by a pair of Drivers. They give me my payment, and I don’t ask any questions. I’ve never met my client in person, but I’m sure they’re who you’re looking for, not me.”

“Timell not kidnap Dadapon? Honest?”

“Honest.” Timell nodded. “But hey, it sounds like you’re in some deep shit. So I’ll tell you what. You come with me to drop off the shipment, and I’m sure you can get whatever info you need from the Drivers when they come to pick it up. I owe Tatazo at least that much.”

“Tora thanks friend.” Tora beamed, putting his shield away. “Now let us go find Dadapon!” He began to walk forward before he realized Timell wasn’t moving.

“I admire the enthusiasm.” Timell chuckled. “But we’ll need to wait until Isset’s got the shipment ready. I don’t owe Tatazo so much that I can just miss out on a paycheck.”

“Fine.” Tora pouted. “We will wait.”

-

Sometime later, as the sun began to peak over the horizon, Timell wheeled several barrels of black ash up a hill just outside the capital. Tora and Poppi followed closely behind him.

“Masterpon is sure we can trust this man?” Poppi asked in a whisper. “Timing of conversation seems too coincidental.”

“Learn to trust your Masterpon more, Poppi.” Tora replied. “It will be fine. Tora’s keen instincts tell him Timell is man we can trust. He knew Dadapon, after all.”

“Even so, how does Masterpon plan on making two Drivers talk?” Poppi continued. “Masterpon and Poppi not have friends to back us up, so Poppi doubtful we can take them in fight.”

“You two alright back there?” Timell asked, coming to a stop in front of a lone building suspended on a large rusted metal platform.

“All good!” Tora flashed a thumbs up. “But where are Driver friends?”

“You looking for us?” A woman shouted from behind Poppi. Before she could react, the woman struck her in the back with a spear, knocking her to the ground.

“What a coincidence.” A man said, emerging from the building in front of Tora. “We’ve been looking for you.” The man in the building was a large Urayan with close-cropped green hair and pale gray skin. The blade next to him was a woman with cyan hair and a blue eyepatch over her left eye. She wore a black suit and was covered in blue spines and brass armor plating. The woman wielding the spear was a thin Leftherian with short red hair. Her blade was also a woman who wore an eyepatch, this one on her right eye. Her outfit was largely a white suit with blue accents, and her joints were made of large spheres of ice.

“This is her, alright.” The woman said, poking Poppi with her spear. She glanced up at her partner. “What do we do with-”

Immediately Poppi sprang up and punched her in the face. She rolled across the ground and almost over the side of a nearby cliff. Her Blade ran forward and grabbed Poppi by the shoulders. Poppi jumped up, slamming the top of her head into the Blade’s chin. She activated her jets and flew in an arc toward the man in the building. She grabbed the woman’s Blade, still hanging onto her shoulders, and tossed her at the man.

“Theory, get Praxis!” He shouted, drawing a katana from his belt. His Blade, Theory, nodded and jumped up to catch Praxis as she fell. The man swung his katana at Poppi as Theory landed. Poppi upped the output of her thrusters and crashed headlong into him, slamming the man into a railing behind him.

“Move, Poppi!” Tora yelled, lining up his shield to fire a biter at the man. She jumped up right as he fired, but Praxis grabbed her ankle and swung her into the path of the biter. It hit her, sending her sailing over the side of the metal platform.

“You idiot!” The man shouted, untangling himself from the bent railing. “That one’s our target!”

“Poppi!” Tora screamed. He broke into a run for the edge of the platform, but a spear caught him in the shoulder. He crumpled to the ground.

“Ixis.” The man snarled as the woman retrieved her spear. “Your Blade let our target get away.”

“Calm down, Waldemar.” Ixis replied. “She’ll be back. We have her Driver, after all.”

“Do you think she’d still function if we offed the Nopon?” Praxis asked, returning to her Driver. “You know, being a fake and all.”

“Good question.” Ixis chuckled. “Why don’t we find out?” She raised her spear over Tora’s head.

“Poppi would be just fine.” Tora coughed. “Poppi is strongest Blade in whole world.” Tora laid his shield flush with Ixis’s leg. “And as her Driver, Tora cannot let her down!” He fired a biter into her leg at point blank. The blast sheared off her armor plating and knocked her to the ground, her leg bending at the wrong angle. It also sent Tora flying into the wall of a cliff hanging over the platform.

“Cheeky brat!” Waldemar spat, running at Tora with his katana reared back. Tora struggled to his feet and rolled under Waldemar’s first attack. Before the man could follow up with a second, Tora slammed his shield into the man’s knee. He tore past Waldemar as the man fell and ran for where Poppi was sent. Ixis pulled herself up onto her good leg and threw her spear at Tora once again. He blocked it with his shield, but the impact forced him to the side. Almost immediately, Waldemar caught up and struck Tora’s shield as well. Tora tried to fire off another biter, but the katana cut it clean in half as it left the barrel of the shield. It detonated instantly, catching both Tora and Waldemar in the blast. As they both collapsed, Waldemar drove his katana into the ground, steadying himself.

“You put up a good fight.” He panted. “For a fake Driver, anyway. But this ends here.” He raised his katana over Tora’s neck. Before he could strike, however, the ground beneath Theory exploded. Poppi burst through from underneath the metal platform and grabbed Theory by the neck. Aiming straight for Waldemar, she slammed his own Blade into him, and forced them both into the ground, bending the platform with the impact. Before Ixis could react, Poppi picked up the shield from next to Tora and hurled it at her face. It struck her square in the nose, breaking it and sending her flying back. As she hit the ground, her head collided with the metal, knocking her out. Praxis ran forward, but Poppi shot toward her faster. She grabbed Praxis’s face and slammed her head into the ground.

“You! Will! Never! Touch! Masterpon! Again!” She shouted, repeatedly slamming Praxis into the ground. With the last word, she put Praxis’s head through the metal platform. At that point, she passed out. Poppi, however, reeled her hand back for another strike.

“Poppi!” Nia shouted, running forward and catching her arm before she could deliver her next blow. “That’s enough.” Poppi looked up to see Rex, Dromarch, and Mythra running up the slope toward them, led by Niranira. An unconscious Timell lay across Dromarch’s back.

“Thank goodness.” Poppi sighed, collapsing to her knees. “Poppi was scared to continue fighting alone…” She sighed and closed her eyes, powering down as Rex and the others arrived.

-

“So you see…” Niranira explained as the group stood beside with Mòrag and Brighid back at the palace dungeons. “Niranira keep watch over Tora when he journey with this man to old city of Teddim.” Niranira motioned to Timell, who was locked in a cell alongside Ixis and Waldemar. All three were unconscious. “Niranira knew this supplier suspicious, so alerted Rex and friends right away.”

“We found him trying to flee scene when we went to rescue Tora.” Rex said. “But by the time we arrived, Tora and Poppi had already cleaned their clocks.”

“Most impressive work, indeed.” Mòrag nodded. “And have you managed to learn anything from them yet?”

“The woman was out cold.” Niranira continued. “The man was not so fortunate. He gave up everything an hour ago, shortly before losing consciousness. He and his partner were hired by a masked Nopon to serve as intermediaries with suppliers. Apparently this Nopon instructed them to capture Poppi earlier that morning. It likely entire meeting was a setup to get their hands on Poppi.”

“Which means whoever controls Lila also knows about Poppi and knew her and Tora were looking for him. Troubling.”

“Niranira did manage to find destination of parts however: a large factory in the cliffs beneath Teddim.”

“That makes sense.” Brighid said. “The factory there was abandoned thirty years ago, just after Teddim was evacuated.”

“So you think we’ve got ‘em?” Nia asked.

“We can’t be certain unless we investigate.” Mòrag said. “But we do finally have a lead. I suppose we have Tora and Poppi to thank for that.”

“The idiot almost got himself killed.” Nia shook her head. “I shouldn’t have let him run off like that.”

“Are you kidding?” Rex asked. “Tora and Poppi kicked ass. And they got us a lead in the process too.”

“Rex-rex too kind.” Tora said from the door.

“Tora!” Nia exclaimed. “Are you alright?”

“Tora never feel better.” Tora beamed, joining the group. “After all, we finally have lead on Dadapon’s location. When do friends plan on moving out?”

“The sooner the better.” Gramps said. “We need to move before this mystery Nopon realizes his Drivers have failed at their assigned task.”

“It will be difficult for me to dispatch the military so quickly.” Mòrag shook her head. “We’ll need some time to get things in order.”

“Let us go, then.” Nia said. Mòrag raised an eyebrow. “We won’t do anything reckless, I promise.”

“Somehow,” Mòrag glanced at the unconscious Drivers, “That seems unlikely to me.”

“If it seems dangerous, we’ll turn back and wait for backup. How’s that sound?”

“If you insist.” Mòrag sighed. “I’ll arrive as quick as I can. Don’t engage them enemy until we can cut off their escape. Understood?”

“Loud and clear.” Rex nodded. “And if Tora’s feeling better, I’d say there’s no time like the present.”

“Before friends go.” Niranira said. “Niranira should share rest of information he gathered. Cash trail from Timell’s transactions suggest esteemed Argentum merchant is involved in some way.”

“Don’t tell me…” Gramps sighed. “Chairman Bana?”

“It likely possibility.” Niranira nodded. “But until audit of transactions is complete, there no way to be sure.”

“This’ll be the perfect opportunity, then.” Rex smirked. “He still owes me a hundred grand, after all.”

“Are you still going on about that?” Nia asked.

“In my defense, we need cash. My admittedly shaky reputation and Tora’s old family friends aren’t going to help us much once we reach Indol.”

“If you require funds, I could find some way to compensate you.” Mòrag said. “Once Bana and his cohorts have been brought down, of course.”

“Now you’re speaking my language.” Rex laughed. “Finally, someone with a little common sense.” He extended a hand for Mòrag to shake.

“Let’s go, coinhead.” Nia sighed, grabbing Rex by the collar and dragging him toward the door. After a moment’s protest, he went willingly. “And you’d better hurry up with those reinforcements.” She shouted over her shoulder.

“We will begin mobilizing without delay.” Mòrag replied. Nia gave a small nod and left the room.

-

“So.” Rex asked as the group walked along the base of a cliff toward a large cave. “Nia, I was wondering if you had a moment to talk.”

“Sure.” Nia shrugged. “What about?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you this before, but…” He shifted uncomfortably. “What Mòrag said yesterday, about your past, I-”

“You not comfortable traveling with me anymore?” Nia asked. “Knowing what I’ve done? Are you worried you’ll be next?”

“That’s not it, I was just-”

“It’s not a part of my life I like discussing.” Nia crossed her arms. “I’m trying to put all that behind me.”

“I know. I just wanted to say that I… Think I understand why you asked us not to kill anyone in Gormott. And I want to keep that up.”

“Thanks.”

“And that includes Mòrag and Brighid. No more trying to kill them either.”

“That’s not…” Nia paused. “You’re right. Practice what you preach and all that. Just make sure you keep that in mind too.”

“I’m not sure I-”

“Don’t patronize me. I know you’re after someone. I don’t have the right to pry into your business, but this agreement cuts both ways.”

“I know.” Rex frowned. “You don’t need to worry about it. Climbing the World Tree comes first. This is… Something I’ve got to deal with myself.”

“I used to think that way too.” Nia shook her head. “That said, we’re friends. You can talk to us about this.”

“I appreciate the thought, but-” Rex stopped as laughter began echoing off the landscape. The group stopped and looked around for a moment before Zeke and Pandoria jumped in front of them.

“So we meet again, Aegis!” Zeke smirked, throwing his head back.

“Oh.” Nia said. “It’s Shellhead.”

“Yes!” Zeke chuckled. “I- Wait! Who’s “Shellhead”?”

“As ever, your comic timing is exquisite.” Dromarch commented.

“You will address me as Zeke von Genbu, Bringer of Chaos!” Zeke shouted, slinging his sword off his back and waving it at the party. “Or Zeke! Or THE ZEKENATOR!” He began stomping his feet.

“Make your mind up.” Nia sighed. “And what the hell is a Zekenator anyway?”

“Hah!” Zeke scoffed. “You may have been lucky last time, thanks to a certain unstable cliff.” Zeke stomped his foot once again. “But this time round we meet on good old terra firma!” Zeke lunged forward and arched his back, looking down his nose at the party. “If you think you can run from me a second time, you are quite mistaken!”

“Nobody did any running. And anyway, Shellhead?”

“What?”

“You answer to that now?” Pandoria asked.

“I’ve been wondering since Uraya.” Nia continued. “What’s with the cutesy eyepatch?”

“Heh…” Zeke chuckled, putting a hand up to shroud the side of his face. “I’m quite glad you asked. This eyepatch contains a power too great for mere mortals to comprehend.” He began swinging his sword around, flashing several poses in time with Pandoria. “The Eye of Shining Justice!” He grinned from ear to ear. Rex frowned, Nia crossed her arms, and Mythra began tapping her foot.

“I am sworn to keep it sealed until its power is needed to save mankind!” Zeke continued. “You should count yourselves lucky. It would turn you to ash in seconds.”

“Whatever you say, pal.” Nia rolled her eyes.

“By the by, what business might you have with us today?” Dromarch asked.

“Are you thick?” Zeke asked. “I’m here for the Aegis, obviously.” He pointed his sword at Mythra. She eyes him for a moment before turning her nose up.

“Listen, pal.” Nia sighed. “I’m sorry, but we really don’t have time to play with you today. So hurry on home, OK?”

“What’s this?” Zeke sidled forward. “Were you so frightened by our power that you wet yourself, furry-ears?”

“Did I what? You’ve got a lotta nerve, you one-eyed monster!”

“Nia.” Rex said. “You do know one-eyed monster usually means-”

“I know. But don’t you think it’s an apt comparison?”

“This is officially the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.” Mythra groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Let’s just get this over with, alright?”

“Now that’s more like it!” Zeke smirked once again. “Alongside her appearance, I see that the Aegis has undergone an equal change in attitude. Eager to join me, are we?” Zeke waggled his eyebrows. She frowned, remaining silent for a moment.

“Rex.” She said. “Kick his ass.”

“Whatever you say.” He said, sliding his sword off his back. Immediately his foresight activated, and he saw Zeke raise his sword. Lightning bolts struck all around the group.

“Scatter!” Rex shouted, running forward as Zeke began to lift his sword. Poppi grabbed Tora and jumped into the air, and Nia grabbed Dromarch’s collar as he charged at Pandoria. Immediately, Zeke changed his tac. He swung his sword forward, knocking Nia off Dromarch with the flat of his blade. Rex jumped over Nia and swung his sword at Zeke’s head. Zeke darted to the side and blocked Rex’s attack with an upswing. From behind him, Poppi shot forward, drill shield fully extended. The blade of his sword disconnected in a flash, shooting forward and driving Rex back. He spun around with the handle and knocked the tip of the drill aside as it approached, sending Poppi flying past him harmlessly. Instantly she adjusted her trajectory with her boots, slamming into Zeke with her shoulder.

He rolled with the impact and tumbled across the ground, springing up next to Pandoria just in time for Dromarch to take a swipe at his head. He jumped, dropping his sword handle into Pandoria’s hand. She parried Dromarch’s attack and struck him in the chest with her open palm, sending lightning crackling through his fur. Dromarch roared and prepared to unleash a blast of ether from his mouth when Zeke landed on his back and clamped his arms around his jaws.

“Off my tiger!” Nia snarled, knocking into him from behind.

“As you wish!” Zeke smirked. He flipped over Dromarch’s head and extended his hand. The blade of his sword lifted off the ground and began to fly toward him. When it didn’t arrive when he expected, Zeke looked to see Rex clinging onto the edge of the blade as it flew. Before Zeke could react, Rex kicked him square in the face and knocked him to the ground. The blade of the sword spun through the air before circling Pandoria, who raised the handle and reconnected the two into one weapon. She swung it down on Rex’s head, but he jumped back. As he did, Zeke threw a handful of sand in his face. Blinded, Rex landed square on his back next to Mythra.

“I don’t get it.” He groaned, standing to his feet. “Foresight only predicts about half of what he does.”

“Foresight isn’t perfect.” Mythra replied. “But mispredicts are usually a rare occurrence. There’s an unusual the ether flow around him that’s throwing me off.”

“Any chance on getting some help from above?”

“The cliff’s too unstable. One attack from Siren and we’d have nowhere to stand.”

“Great.” Rex sighed. “Well, wish me luck.” Rex grit his teeth and charged back at Zeke, who was bobbing and weaving between the combined efforts of Nia and Tora. Pandoria tossed his sword into the air, and he opened his hand expectantly. Rex shot his anchor into the flat of the blade and planted his feet. Reeling his anchor in, he pulled the sword to the ground and out of Zeke’s reach. Zeke pouted, and caught a knee from Nia square in the gut. She tried to follow it up with a slash to his chin, but he jumped, slamming his forehead into her nose. She stumbled back, but his forehead began to bleed.

“You’re tougher than you look!” Zeke said, calling his sword again and blocking another drill thrust from Tora.

“I guess there’s more to both of us than meets the eye.” She replied.

“Think you’ve figured me out, do you?” Zeke smirked, running forward. “I’d love to-” Suddenly, his sword was pulled to the side. Rex’s anchor was still firmly attached, and he reared his own sword back as he sped toward Zeke with his reel. Zeke shot his blade off again, sending Rex flying into the sky. Rex immediately unhooked his anchor and aimed his sword for Zeke’s head. Pandoria tackled him out of the air as Tora rushed Zeke with his shield. She threw Rex into Tora, knocking them both aside as Poppi ran forward wielding a biter in each hand. Zeke retracted his sword and swung the handle down, placing Poppi between the returning blade and the handle. She planted her feet and whirled one arm around, facing a biter toward each component of the oncoming weapon. As they both reached her, the simultaneous explosions sent both Zeke and his sword’s blade tumbling in opposite directions. Nia instantly jumped after him. Zeke managed to return his blade just as she reached him. He raised it to block her next attack, but she rolled aside instead. Dromarch immediately hit the flat of his blade with a blast of ether, knocking him back.

“Well…” Zeke panted. “You guys are even tougher than last time!” He attempted to step forward but lost his footing. He fell backward into Pandoria, waving his arms frantically. She barely managed to steady him on his feet. “However, your luck ends right here. Here we go!” He thrust his sword forward, wreathing it in a coat of lightning.

“Bringer of Chaos!” He shouted, lifting the sword skyward with a flourish. Immediately, he jumped into the air, rearing it over his head. “Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash… MAX!” He brought the sword down, slamming into the ground and sending bolts of lightning flying in practically every direction except toward the party.

“Come on!” Nia groaned as the dust cleared. “That was the same as last time!”

Zeke flashed her a satisfied grin as he lifted his head, and the ground began to rumble. Suddenly, a large bolder sitting on the cliff above Zeke and Pandoria broke loose and began rolling toward them. The pair screamed and took off running as the bolder chased them toward the edge of the Titan.

“P-Pandy!” Zeke stammered. “Can’t you do something?”

“Sorrysorrysorry!” She screwed her eyes shut and ran harder. “You know my element’s lightning! I’m not cut out for this!” As the pair reached the edge of the Titan, they took one last look over their shoulders. In that moment, the bolder caught up with them, smacking them into the air. They screamed as they flew out across the Cloud Sea.

“S…seriously, though, what’s their problem?” Rex asked, staring at the spot on the horizon where they had disappeared.

“Idiots.” Nia sighed, sheathing her rings. “Come on.” With a collective shrug, the group resumed their walk to the abandoned factory.

-

“Now this quite the site.” Bana muttered. He preened his mustache as he watched the buzz of the factory below him. The skeletons of mass-produced Artificial Blades and ether furnaces clattered along a network of railings and conveyor belts, carrying parts to assembly lines throughout the facility.

“Chairman Bana.” Bana’s assistant said as he walked onto the Chairman’s balcony. “Good to see you approve.”

“How goes production?”

“Production has been running non-stop, twenty-four hours a day.”

“Good.” Bana nodded. “Once we have first thousand ether furnaces, we sell to Torna.”

“But Senator Roderich expects return on investment. Even gave info on Core Chips for Lila to steal.”

“That make no difference. We go where profit goes. Old geezer can wait a bit longer for his turn. Once war break out with Uraya, he get desperate and offer more money.”

“Chairman Bana so amazing! Did not realize thinking about this was so deep!”

“Mehehe!” Bana smirked. “First rule of making money. Now, onto other matters. How goes efforts to acquire other Artificial Blade?”

“There was misstep.” Bana’s assistant replied. “But rest assured, the matter is well in hand. Soon, lost ether furnace will be ours at last.”

-

After leaving Zeke behind, Rex and the others found the entrance to the factory buried in the cliffside. It was a cave that quickly gave way to a long metal hallway snaking its way into the Titan’s interior. The group followed it until they came to a large metal door. Rex melted the lock with his sword, and they proceeded inside. They stood on a catwalk above the factory, surrounded by a mesh fence. Below them were several assembly lines, all churning out skeletal metal frames. Each of the lines was being overseen by a team of Nopon at Tirkin spearpoint.

“Are all of these Artificial Blades?” Rex muttered, peering through the mesh. The frames on the conveyor belts were humanoid Artificial Blades, like Poppi and Lila stripped down to their essential components. Each sat in a fetal position as the belts passed them along, their eyes dim. They also each bore a set of bat-like wings, and their faces were patterned like skulls.

“Dadapon must be here!” Tora exclaimed, doing his best to keep his voice down.

“What exactly are they planning here?” Gramps thought aloud. “If these are indeed all Blades, then this factory must be manufacturing an army. I’d wager-”

“Hold that thought.” Nia whispered, putting her hand over Gramps’s mouth. “Patrol coming. Back through the door.” The group shuffled back through the door and closed it. Nia squat down and peered through the hole Rex had made. Moments later, a pair of Tirkin herded a group of Nopon onto the catwalk.

“Looks like a shift change.” Nia relayed to the rest of the group. “Two Tirkin, five Nopon. If we’re quick, we can take them out before anyone knows we’re here.”

“We promised Mòrag we wouldn’t do anything reckless.” Rex protested. “We know Tora’s dad is here, can’t the army do the rest?”

“It doesn’t look like the Nopon are here willingly. We can free them right now. Even if Tora’s father isn’t one of them, maybe they can tell us where to find him.”

“And what if they trip an alarm? The people in charge could slip away before Mòrag has a chance to set up her net. I say we wait.”

“Tora has waited for twelve years.” Tora said, hoisting his shield up. “Will not wait another second!” He threw open the door before Rex could stop him and charged forward. However, the Tirkin were already unconscious. Niranira stood over them, directing the captive Nopon toward the exit.

“Niranira?” Rex asked as he caught up with Tora. “What are you-”

“Friends take too long.” Niranira replied. “Niranira enter through vents and survey situation. Special Inquisitor will arrive soon, so friends should escape now. Niranira will stay behind and rescue rest of Nopon.”

“No.” Tora shook his head. “Tora will find Dadapon Tatazo first. Must make sure he is safe.”

“You heard him.” Rex sighed. “We’ll be out as quick as we can, Niranira, we promise. But you need to get these Nopon out of here.”

“Very well. Niranira will leave task of finding Tatazo in…” He narrowed his eyes. “Adequate hands of friends. Best of luck.” He glanced back at the Nopon to make sure they all made it through the door before taking off down the catwalk into a large central tower overlooking the entire factory.

“Well he’s your dad.” Nia said, clapping Tora on the back. “Lead the way.”

“Right.” Tora nodded. “To find Dadapon!” Tora raised his shield and started walking in the direction opposite Niranira. He came to the entrance of a ventilation shaft. Poppi tore the cover off, and the group squeezed their way inside. Soon, they heard the squawking of a Tirkin in the room below them.

“Professor Tatazo!” The Tirkin said, raising his spear. “Productions must go faster! You give orders!”

“Production already fast as I can make.” Tatazo protested, backed into a mechanical console by the Tirkin’s spear.

“If productions get more slow, maybe you ready for sleep time with fishes.” The Tirkin pressed the spear against Tatazo’s fur.

“Back away from Dadapon!” Tora shouted, jumping down from the vent. The Tirkin whirled around just as Tora swung his shield at its head. He struck it between the eyes, and it crumpled to the ground unconscious.

“Tora!” Tatazo exclaimed. “That you?” Tora didn’t reply. He just ran up to Tatazo and hugged him. Tears rolled down his face as Tatazo returned his embrace.

“Tora miss you so much!” Tora cried.

“I miss you too.” Tatazo smiled as the rest of the group dropped from the ceiling.

“Thank goodness.” Mythra said. “He seems to be unhurt. We should get out before…” She trailed off as she noticed Rex fighting back tears watching Tora and his father reunite. She pulled a kerchief from her pocket and offered it to him.

“Thanks.” He muttered, taking it and drying his eyes.

“Who all these people?” Tatazo asked as he broke the hug with his son.

“They Tora’s new friends.” Tora beamed. “And that not all. Behold, Dadapon!” Tora gestured to Poppi. “This is Poppi! Tora’s very own Artificial Blade! Tora make her by improving on blueprints for Lila!”

“Meh meh!” Tatazo exclaimed, running up to study Poppi. “Most impressive! Tora must have worked hard!”

“If I may.” Dromarch said, cutting Tatazo short. “I know there’s a lot of catching up to do, but perhaps we should escape and find Mòrag before someone realizes the professor is missing.”

“Not so fast intruders!” A Nopon shouted from the door behind the group. They whirled around, weapons drawn, and came face to face with Muimui flanked on either side by a pack of Tirkin.

“Don’t tell me…” Nia sighed.

“Really now? You actually not realize it yet? Muimui give you information on purpose to lure you into trap with Drivers. When you defeated Drivers, Muimui knew you would come here next, so set another trap. And you fell for it marvelously!”

“How dare you!” Tora snarled.

“All Muimui want is Artificial Blade. If you give her up, there no need for fighting. Muimui even willing to let rest of you go.”

“Never! Poppi is Tora’s family! Would not give her up for anything!”

“Very well.” Muimui motioned his Tirkin forward. “Take care of these intruders!” The Tirkin brandished their spears and advanced toward the party. Rex swiped at their feet, forcing them back. Tora and Nia rushed forward as he did, jumping headlong into the Tirkin horde. Even with just Tora’s shield and Nia’s claws, the Tirkin were unconscious in a matter of moments, unable to take a sustained assault from two Drivers.

“H-how can you be so strong?” Muimui said, backing up against the wall.

“Just one of us beat your Drivers.” Rex smirked. “What did you think a pack of Tirkin was going to do?”

“Now we’re going to need some answers.” Nia said, drawing one of her rings and leveling it at Muimui. “What were you people plotting here?”

“O-ordinary business!” Muimui protested. “We innocently mass produce ether furnaces and Artificial Blades and sell to people who want them!”

“Nothing innocent about it!” Tatazo scoffed. “They threaten Tatazo and other workers, and force to participate in production process.”

“And next you wanted to get your hands on Poppi?” Gramps asked. “You are a greedy bunch.”

“I knew as soon as I saw her!” Muimui said. “That Artificial Blade uses lost ether furnace designed by Professor Soosoo! Nothing Professor Tatazo designed for us could compare!”

“So you lured us out here to avoid making a ruckus in the city?” Nia asked. “Is that it?”

“Qu-quite right. Yes.”

“Muimui was part of group plotting to steal Artificial Blades all along!” Tatazo continued. “While he my Dadapon’s assistant, he sell information to contact in Guild and had them attack laboratory.”

“Then it his fault Grampypon was killed.” Tora said. He turned to Muimui, his wings balled into fists. “You dare talk about Grampypon’s “lost” furnace after you killed him? You not fit to speak his name!” He advanced on Muimui, but Nia put out a hand and stopped him.

“Don’t.” She shook her head. “This guy’s not worth the trouble.” She sheathed her rings and grabbed Muimui by his scruff. “Still, I bet Special Inquisitor Mòrag would be very interested to hear all of this as well. What do you say we go find her?”

“We’ve got another problem.” Rex said. “A Guild contact means Niranira was right. Muimui isn’t calling the shots. The one behind this whole factory is-”

“Indeed.” Bana said, strolling through a door on a ledge above the group. “It is I.” Lila followed on his heel.

“M-Master Bana!” Muimui exclaimed.

“You never do finish job properly, do you?” Bana sneered. “You managed to spring not one but two traps, using some of our best Drivers, and still fail to capture Artificial Blade?”

“Muimui very sorry.”

“At least someone here has sense to finish job.” Bana said, his smirk returning. “Rex, my boy, you do marvelously. You not only bring me Artificial Blade, but you even bring me Aegis itself! Once I have ether furnace of Professor Soosoo, I can produce even better Artificial Blades. Once we sell Aegis, my boy, the two of us will make mountains of cash! Will feast on mushy mushrooms for life!”

“You want me to sell you Mythra?” Rex asked.

“We already have arrangement. Give me Aegis, and hundred thousand gold is yours. And since I am so nice, I even offer to find man you’ve been looking for, free of charge. What do you say?” Rex scowled but didn’t reply. “What the matter? You forget about job already?”

“No, I remember.” Rex scoffed. “But you never hired me to get you the Aegis. You hired me to salvage a wreck, and I did. You owe me a hundred grand.” Rex pointed his sword at Bana. “And you owe Tora’s family a hell of a lot more than that. I’m going to make sure you pay in full.”

“You should show more respect.” Bana growled, his expression souring. “Especially after all the valuable work I find for you.”

“You really think Torna’s just going to buy the Aegis from you?” Nia asked. “I hate to break it to you, but they’re just as liable to kill you as pay you.”

“How you know about- Agh!” Bana shouted, finally noticing Nia. He took a step back, his confidence melting. “Wh-wh-what are you doing here? If you come for furnaces, they ready in ship outside.”

“You’re selling those to Torna as well? Figures.” Nia sighed.

“Malos must be building up his army.” Mythra said. “He controlled legions of humanoid Artifices during the war. These Artificial Blades must be their replacement.”

“Are you not with…” Bana frowned. “Not sure what is going on, but I will just beat you all up. Lila! Take them all down!”

“Mission acknowledged.” She said, rocketing into the air.

“Tora, please destroy her for me.” Tatazo said as the group raised their weapons again. “Muimui modified her, and she not listen to Masterpon Tatazo anymore!”

“Dadapon…” Tora said. “All right. Come on, Poppi!”

“As you wish, Masterpon!” Poppi readied herself.

“Commencing combat.” Lila said, sailing toward the party with her gauntlets raised. She ignored Rex and Nia and went straight for Tora. Rex swung at her path, catching her gauntlet and knocking her off target. Poppi and Nia both jumped for her as she careened toward the glass window overlooking the production floor behind Tora. Rex shot his anchor into her foot and pulled her back right into one of Nia’s rings. Lila twisted around and grabbed Nia as Rex tried to follow up with another attack. Rex barely managed to get his sword out of the way as Lila threw Nia toward him.

“I got you!” He shouted, grabbing Nia by the hood as she flew past him. She planted her feet as he yanked her to a stop. Lila pulled on Rex’s anchor, dragging them both forward and off balance. Lila prepared to close in and strike the pair, but Poppi intercepted, slamming her fist into Lila’s jaw and activating her boots. She rocketed into the ceiling, carrying Lila with her. Lila kicked Poppi off her as they tore through the vents and speared back down to strike at Tora. Poppi intercepted once again, tackling Lila midair and crashing through the window. They struggled against each other as they spun throughout the factory. Eventually Lila broke Poppi’s grip, and they flew apart.

“Do not let her win, Poppi!” Tora shouted, running up to the window.

“Of course, Masterpon!” Poppi replied.

“Comprehension error.” Lila said as her and Poppi sped toward each other again. They collided in midair, jets pushing them against one another. “Your integrated ether furnace is not fully activated.” Lila broke the stalemate and threw a punch at Poppi’s head. Poppi managed to block the strike, but Lila continued both her physical and verbal assault. “As an upgraded model, my energy throughput is superior.” Lila shot up above Poppi and brought her foot down on her head. Poppi blocked the strike, creating a storm of sparks.

“Energy efficiency tangential problem.” Poppi replied. “Poppi’s Masterpon told Poppi not to lose. So Poppi will win. Very simple logic.” Poppi overclocked her jets and forced Lila up into the rocky ceiling of the production floor.

“Comprehension error.” Lila continued. She spun back off Poppi and attempted to strike her with her gauntlets as she sped past. Poppi read the attack and spun to the side, spiraling just outside the attack and stopping behind Lila. Before Lila could react, Poppi slipped her arms around Lila’s, locking them in place back to back.

“And that is why you lose.” Poppi began spinning end over end, cartwheeling forward with Lila pinned to her back. After a few turns she grabbed Lila and threw her forward, straight back through the broken window and into the ledge Bana stood on. Lila tried to pull herself up as the smoke cleared, but her hydraulics froze up.

“Poppi!” Tora shouted, throwing Poppi his shield. “Finish it!” Poppi extended the drill to full and aimed it at Lila’s core.

“Wait!” Tatazo shouted as Poppi began to rocket forward. “Wait one moment please!” He threw himself in front of Lila. Immediately Poppi swung her legs forward, reversing her thrust. She hit the ground, her legs carving troughs through the metal floor. She came to a stop as the tip of the drill touched Tatazo’s throat.

“Dadapon?” Tora asked.

“I sorry, Tora.” Tatazo shook. “Even if she no longer listen to me, even if she become weapon for Bana, Lila is all I have. Only reminder of Dadapon Soosoo. She is my treasure. She is family.”

“What you think you are doing?” Bana shouted, drawing a remote control from his vest. “No need to bother protecting yourself!” He pressed one of the sticks forward, and Lila lurched to her feet. “Steal that ether furnace even if it destroys you!” Her ether circuits began to crack and leak energy, but she took a step forward.

“You not need to listen to his orders, Lila!” Tatazo shouted, stepping back as Lila took another tortured step forward.

“Hurry and take it!” Bana pressed yet more buttons. “Your Masterpon commands you!” One of Lila’s hydraulic lines burst, and she collapsed to her knee.

“Lila’s… Masterpon… is…” Lila stuttered, raising her hand into the air. She spun it around and plunged it directly into her own chest. When it burst out the other side, she clutched a spherical piece of machinery in her hand. She crushed it and collapsed, looking up at Bana. “Professor Tatazo…” Poppi, Tora, and Tatazo all rushed to her side.

“What?!” Bana shouted. “She destroy control device on her own?! Mehmeh!” He threw down the remote in a fit of rage.

“I very proud of you, sister.” Poppi said, cradling Lila’s head in her arms.

“This not how it supposed to go!” Bana grabbed Muimui’s hair and lifted him into the air. “What happened to activation of Rosa?”

“Armor plating not complete, but-” Muimui began.

“We have no other choice!” Bana threw down Muimui and ran over to a hatch in the wall. “We do it now!” He threw it open and jumped through.

“Yessir!” Muimui jumped into a second, smaller hatch next to the one Bana went through. The two of them slid through a network of pipes, carried away from the group at high speeds.

“One thing after the next with these guys.” Rex sighed. “If they get away now, after everything…”

“Don’t worry.” Nia said. “We just have to find them. Tora, Poppi. You guys take care of the Professor and Lila. We’ll go find Bana.”

“We’ve got another problem.” Mythra said, looking out over the production floor. “I’m sensing a massive spike of ether deeper within the factory. It’s like a hundred Blades all resonating at once.”

“That can’t be good. Could be they’ve got another weapon up their sleeves. Can you get us there?”

“This way.” Mythra ran for the door. Rex, Nia, and Dromarch all followed her into the hallway.

-

After several minutes, Mythra led the others into a large open space deep within the factory. It was separate from the production floor and had much higher ceilings. Large cranes and other similar equipment lined the far wall, suspended above several tanks of liquid ether.

“Mythra, where’s the ether spike?” Rex asked.

“Close.” Mythra replied. “It’s just beneath-” Suddenly the room began to shake. The ground beneath the cranes retracted, and a platform rose from underneath. On it stood a large metal construct. It stood at least ten times the height of a human, and it had a humanoid shape. Except the head, however, which was slightly larger and composed almost entirely of a dome of orange-tinted glass. Bana’s and Muimui’s silhouettes were just barely visible inside. On the construct’s chest was a series of orange glowing crystals, resembling larger versions of the ones on Poppi and Lila. They pumped ether through the giant’s body, the ether lines visible beneath the patchwork armor plates that covered only part of its insides.

“What the hell is that?” Nia exclaimed.

“How you like that?” Bana cackled, his voice crackling over speakers in the construct’s chassis. “This is secret weapon of Bana! Gigantic Artificial Blade: Rosa!”

“That’s no Blade.” Mythra shook her head. “That’s an Artifice.”

“One of your weapons?” Rex asked.

“This one was Malos’s, actually. It was called Rhea, and he lost it during the battle for Temperantia.”

“It not matter where Rosa come from!” Bana shouted. “What matter is you all bow before her power! The power of Bana!” Hatches along Rosa’s shoulders opened, launching a volley of missiles. Rex struck them from the air with a blast of light before they left their silos, but Rosa didn’t suffer any clear damage. With the smoke as cover, it moved with unnatural speed and swung a great fist at Nia.

“Incoming!” Rex shouted, darting for its knee. He attacked and managed to melt a section missing its armor but didn’t damage the joint. Nia leapt out of the path of Rosa’s fist as it struck the ground and tore up the metal flooring. She ran up the arm and struck the glass Bana and Muimui sat behind, but only managed to deliver a small crack. She tried to follow up, but Rosa jerked its arm up, shaking her off. Rex fired another blast of light from his sword, and Rosa’s knee buckled. Rosa swung its other fist at the spot Rex was, but he rolled out of the way. Dromarch struck the glass with a sonic blast as Rex and Nia scrambled to avoid several of Rosa’s follow up strikes.

Plates tore themselves from Rosa’s arms, exposing several laser cannons. They began firing haphazardly, one managing to strike Nia in the shoulder as she ran around to Rosa’s back. She tumbled across the ground and impacted one of the ether tanks. Rex fired a blast at Rosa’s face to distract it, shattering a small section of glass. Through it he could make out Bana’s smirk. Rosa lurched forward, pulling itself along with one good leg and sweeping Dromarch aside with its arm. It slammed its fists on either side of Rex, and its chest began to open. A large cannon extended from the center, aimed at Rex and Mythra.

“Mythra!” Rex shouted, glancing back and forth with his foresight. “This isn’t-”

“Calm down.” She sighed. With a wave of her hand, she threw up an ether barrier between the pair and Rosa’s cannon just as it let forth a torrent of energy. The concentrated ether collided with Mythra’s shield, forcing the pair into one of Rosa’s arms. Rosa slammed it down on their shield, but Mythra held fast until the cannon’s attack subsided. Immediately after it did, she dropped the shield and Rex fired a blast into Rosa’s chest. The attack cut a small scar in Rosa’s chest and sent it staggering back. Just as it landed, Nia jumped from behind it and sliced open an exposed pipe. It began billowing steam as she landed next to Rex.

“This is going to take all day.” She groaned, watching Rosa slowly drag itself back upright.

“We just need to keep them here.” Rex replied. “Wait this out until Mòrag gets here with more firepower.”

“We can’t wait for her. I don’t want to give her any excuse to break our deal. We need to kill this thing here and now.”

“Allow me.” Dromarch offered. “I will serve as a decoy, and then-”

“No.” Poppi announced from across the room. She and Tora approached the fight from the doorway. As she did, her body threw of wave after wave of raw ether energy. “Poppi will take care of that.”

-

“Masterpon…” Lila said as Rex and Nia ran from the room. “Profusest apologies for letting them control Lila.”

“No need for apologies.” Tatazo shook his head. “You come back, and that enough for me.”

“Sister… Lila did awful things.”

“It not your fault.” Poppi said. “We will make them pay for what they did to you.”

“Lila would like to see that.” Lila smiled. “Unfortunately, it appears my furnace is compromised. Lila will likely go offline shortly.”

“Let Tora see.” Tora said, shuffling around Poppi to get a look at Lila’s wound. “Perhaps repairs can be made.”

“No time. Bana must be stopped. Poppi.” Lila grabbed Poppi’s hand. “Lila has last request. We have many new sisters. You must free them.”

“Poppi will save them.” Poppi nodded.

“Good. Now, we must activate your furnace. Use Lila as starter.”

“Of course!” Tatazo exclaimed. “Using experimental furnace from Lila, Poppi’s ether furnace can be fully ignited!”

“Will Lila be alright, doing thing like that?” Poppi asked.

“This your sister’s wish.” Tora said, drawing a set of tools from his belt. “We can’t let it go to waste. With this, we can finally complete upgrade.”

“Please.” Lila said as Tora began hooking up connections between Poppi and Lila. “It least I can do. Use the flames of Lila’s life to save them.”

-

“Now, Poppi!” Tora shouted, arms crossed as he stared down Rosa. “Show them your real power!”

“Roger that, Masterpon!” Poppi saluted. “Initiating Beta Mode!” Poppi’s ether output intensified, so much so that the force began to push her off the ground. As it poured forth, Poppi’s ether circuits began to realign. Her limbs and torso extended, and her armor plating rearranged into new shapes. Her clothes shifted as well, taking on Lila’s appearance. Her jets migrated to her shoulders to match, and her hair shifted into a facsimile of pigtails.

“C-can it be!” Muimui shouted as Poppi began glowing even brighter. “She managed to fully activate ether furnace!”

“What?!” Bana screamed. Suddenly Poppi shot forward, leaving a trail of flame behind her. Before Bana or Muimui could react, she impacted Rosa’s head with her own, knocking the Artifice back into the wall. She landed on her feet and cocked her head to the side, studying Rosa for a moment. As Rosa staggered to its feet, Poppi slid Lila’s gauntlets off her back. She jumped up and struck Rosa in the chin, breaking several armor plates. She spun around with her jets and immediately dealt it a swift kick to the temple, knocking it over. She gripped Rosa by the top of its head as it fell and pulled, tearing out much of the connections holding it onto the body. Immediately fire began spewing from Rosa’s neck, rockets blasting the head away from the body. The body stood, twitching under remote control. Poppi dropped the head and struck the body’s neck with her gauntlets forcing it to its knees.

Immediately Rex and Nia ran forward and unleashed a volley of attacks. Rosa was struck across its exposed chest as Poppi began tearing machinery out of the neck. It flailed wildly, attempting to drive off its attackers. Rex wove through the attacks and drove his sword into Rosa’s chest cannon. He fired a continuous beam from his sword, cutting straight through Rosa and puncturing out through its back. At the same time, Poppi shot into the air and descended on Rosa, striking through its shoulder and tearing off its arm and part of its chest. The combined damage proved too much, and Rosa collapsed in a twitching pile of broken machinery.

“Justice always prevail!” Tora beamed.

“Now you too are free, sister.” Poppi said, placing a hand against Rosa’s body. “One day, maybe you will be used for better things.”

“Bana’s vanished again!” Nia shouted, crouching down next to the wreckage of Rosa’s head. She pulled Muimui’s unconscious body through the glass, but Bana was nowhere within the cockpit.

“Over there, my lady!” Dromarch pointed. At the far side of the room, Bana waddled through a large tunnel.

“Hold it!” Rex shouted as he and the rest of the group dropped what they were doing and ran after him. They chased him down the tunnel and into another large open space, this time a dock that sat in a cave open to the Cloud Sea.

“Meh-meh-meh!” Bana panted as the group cornered him at the dock’s edge. “You very persistent!”

“And you need to learn when to quit!” Tora shouted. “Stop producing Artificial Blades! You use Grampypon’s research for evil long enough!”

“B-but that would mean financial disaster!” Bana protested. “How much you think I poured into this endeavor?!”

“I’m sure the Imperial Army would be dying to find out.” Nia said. “They’d probably be even more interested in what you had Lila doing. Why don’t we take you to them?”

“Rex-Rex!” Bana said, clasping his wings together. “Talk some sense into your friends! You let me go, I give you all the gold I have! Nearly one million!” He rummaged around in the folds of his vest and withdrew a hefty sack of coins. “Surely that good enough to overlook one factory, right? Rex-Rex?” He held out the sack of coins to Rex.

“You’re offering me a million gold to let you go?” Rex asked. “You don’t have anything better to offer?”

“Rex-Rex!” Bana smiled. “I never have you down as such a conniving boy! I can also give you Muimui’s share of profits from factory. Think of it as a reward for all the good work you’ve done for me.”

“Rex!” Nia shouted. “You’re not seriously-” Rex walked forward, picked up the sack, and hurled it into the Cloud Sea. Bana’s jaw dropped, and Nia smirked.

“You ripped apart my friend’s life.” Rex shook his head. “That’s not something you can pay back with all the gold in the world. But putting you behind bars will be a good start.”

“That Nopon is still of use to us.” A woman behind the group sighed. “Do you really have to interfere.”

The group turned to see two Drivers and Blades advancing on them through the tunnel. The first Driver was a woman with long black hair and gray eyes. She wore a white waistcoat, black forearm-length gloves, a red chest plate, and black sandals. Slung over her back was a human-sized cannon. Her Blade was humanoid with four arms, each wielding a different weapon. He was covered in primarily white armor plating with a red cloth draped over his chest and shoulders, and from his head protruded several stylized tendrils. The second Driver was a man, slightly taller that the woman, with blonde swaying hair and blue eyes. His armor was full-body, covering everything but his face, and was made of a mixture of Malos’s black plate mail and a maroon set of different styling. His Blade was a hulking giant, standing at least twice his own height. It was a muted shade of purple and wore only a series of gold bands around its chest and arms. Over its head it wore a mask with tusks and long tassels of red hair on either side. From its shoulders grew large horns, and it wielded a pair of gauntlets long as its Driver was tall.

“Patroka and Mikhail.” Nia spat. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“If it isn’t Nia.” Patroka continued. “Akhos did mention you’d turned traitor.”

“Nia know these people?” Tora asked.

“These two round out Torna’s roster.” Nia said. “Of all the lowlifes Bana could have made a deal with, it had to be them.”

“Lowlifes?” Patroka asked. “Coming from you? That’s rich.”

“Don’t mind her, Patroka.” Mikhail said, putting his arm on her shoulder. “Not when we’re standing before the Aegis herself! Truly the Architect must have blessed us that we-” Patroka slammed her fist into his jaw, cutting him off.

“Mik. Shut up.”

“‘Kay.” He muttered, slinking away from her slightly.

“The traitor, we kill. The Aegis, we retrieve.” She slung the cannon off her back and aimed it at the group. “It’s a pain, but that’s the mission.”

“Roger.” Mikhail sighed. His Blade threw the gauntlets it wore into the air, and Mikhail caught them on the descent, sliding them cleanly over his own arms.

“Charge!” Rex shouted, activating foresight. He could see Patroka take aim for him and ran for her head on, moving to duck out of the missile’s path as it fired. Suddenly, Mikhail was in front of him. He slammed his gauntlet into Rex’s side, forcing him back into Patroka’s sights. She fired, but Poppi shot forward and caught the missile. She threw it at Mikhail, and Patroka switched targets to her. Her Blade ran forward to protect her, slashing several weapons through the air at Poppi.

“Head in the game!” Nia grunted as she slid past Rex and under Mikhail’s gauntlet. She lunged upward, ring aimed for his chest, but he jumped out of range of the strike.

“He’s like Zeke!” Rex replied. “Can’t read him! You and Tora take him, I’ve got her!” He pivoted toward Patroka again, shooting his anchor out at her Blade. He caught one of the weapons, a megalance, by the shaft and pulled back. He pulled her Blade off balance a small amount, allowing him to slip underneath a swing of its katana and close distance with Patroka. In response, her Blade swung its shield hammer into the ground, throwing out a cascade of flames. Rex jumped, and the flames passed harmlessly underneath him. Patroka fired a shot at him while he was in the air, but he reeled in his anchor, pulling him toward her Blade and out of the line of fire.

The flames passed underneath Nia and Mikhail as they danced around one another. She threw out attacks with her rings, and he blocked them with ease. Dromarch jumped above her, a stream of water ether erupting from his mouth toward Mikhail. His Blade hurled itself forward, blocking the stream with its bare hands and charging at Dromarch. Mikhail threw a punch at Nia, emerging from behind his Blade. Tora rolled underneath Mikhail’s gauntlet and struck it with his own, triggering an explosion from the barrel that threw Mikhail’s hand into the air. Nia jumped off the hand as it sailed past her, aiming another ring at Mikhail’s face. He met her ring with his other gauntlet, forcing her to the ground. As he attempted to flatten her, Tora struck him with yet another explosion, forcing him off her.

Patroka’s Blade continued to swing at Rex, and he continued to dodge. A greataxe came down in front of his face, and he swung his sword up, cutting the axe head from the shaft. Patroka fired another blast, but Poppi struck it from the air with a kick. Patroka lunged forward and swung her cannon at Poppi, knocking her to the ground. One of Poppi’s jets misfired as she fell, and she rocketed forward into Rex. He leaned to the side and caught Poppi by the arm. Spinning around, he swung her headlong at Patroka’s Blade. Poppi tackled it, and the two of them spiraled into a nearby wall. Both Patroka’s and Tora’s weapons depowered. Tora was forced to retreat from Mikhail, but Patroka didn’t miss a beat.

She swung the stock of her cannon at Rex’s head, and he dodged. He went for her legs, and she jumped. Instantly, Mythra switched out for Pyra, and Rex shot a jet of flame up at Patroka. She flipped back and raised her cannon. In that instant, her Blade and Poppi flew back into the battlefield, grappling each other, and her weapon reactivated. She fired a blast at Rex, and Pyra barely had time to put up an ether shield. It held, but Mikhail took the opportunity to lunge for Rex’s head. Pyra switched back to Mythra, and Rex met the strike with his own. The two collided and stopped. Instantly Patroka’s blade broke free of Poppi and swung at Rex with its hammer. He jumped back, and Nia ran at it, parrying the flurry of strikes with her rings. A stray hit caught her in the side, and she flew back. Dromarch dove beneath her and cushioned her landing, but it gave Patroka and Mikhail time to regroup with their Blades.

“Of all the people Jin had to send.” Nia sighed. “I would have preferred to fight Akhos again.”

“Rex.” Mythra announced, her eyes darting around the room. “Siren’s ready to fire.”

“Seriously?” He asked, eyeing Patroka as she readied another shot. “We’re inside a building here.”

“I analyzed the structural integrity.” Mythra snapped back into focus. “It should survive one blow. But we’ll have to do it beneath that crane.” She motioned over to a cargo crane hanging on the wall beside the cave’s dock.

“Then we force them over there.” Nia said. She rushed forward and swung one of her rings at Mikhail. He blocked the strike, but she threw her other at the ground. It bounced, and the impact carried it toward Patroka’s head. She blocked it with the stock of her cannon, but the ring managed to slice partway through it, imbedding itself in the weapon. Rex and Tora both ran forward as Nia jumped out of Mikhail’s range, but were intercepted by Patroka’s Blade.

“Just give up.” Patroka said. She was about to fire off another shot when a wall of blue flame erupted from the entrance, separating the two groups and surrounding Patroka and Mikhail.

“Honestly…” Mòrag sighed, lowering her sword as she walked through the tunnel, Brighid at her heel. “I thought you said you wouldn’t be reckless.”

“Things got complicated.” Rex shrugged. “We’d appreciate some help though.”

“Fine.” Mòrag swung her sword, sending out a second wave of flame at the Tornan Drivers.

“The Flamebringer.” Mikhail groaned, slamming his fists together and meeting the flames with a wall of stone. “As if we didn’t have enough to deal with already.”

“Shut it.” Patroka growled. “Just focus on the task at hand.”

“Mòrag, can you force them beneath that crane?” Rex asked.

“Do you actually have a plan?” Mòrag replied. “Or is that too much to expect?”

“Have a little faith!” Rex smirked.

“Very well.” Mòrag nodded. “We need to restrict their movement. A wall of flame should suffice.”

“We’ll try to match your timing.” Pyra said. “Then I’ll switch to Mythra.”

“Hey!” Mikhail shouted. “Don’t forget about us!” His Blade stomped its feet, throwing up a cloud of stone shards. Mikhail slammed his fist into them, sending them flying through the flames. The ground scattered, avoiding the spray and running to surround Mikhail and Patroka. Mòrag dispersed the flames, and Nia jumped forward, slipping between Patroka and her Blade. Patroka’s Blade swung at her, but she rolled to the side and grabbed Patroka’s cannon. She pulled her ring free and swung it at Patroka’s head. Mikhail struck her with his gauntlet, sending her flying into the Cloud Sea. Immediately, Dromarch hit him with a blast of water ether, forcing him back.

Patroka moved to cover him, but Poppi launched a volley of jet biters at her. She planted her feet and fired a shot of her own, destroying the projectiles. The resulting explosion, however, also threw her back. Both Drivers now stood directly underneath the crane. Immediately Rex and Mòrag sprang into action. They swung their swords, unleashing pillars of flame that surrounded the pair.

“Mik, go up!” Patroka shouted. She prepared to jump over the flames when she noticed Mythra floating above them. The Aegis’s Core Crystal glowed, and she locked eyes with the pair.

“Beautiful as ever.” Mikhail smiled, awestruck for a moment. Before he or Patroka could get away, a bolt of golden energy descended from the sky, speared through the cave, and struck the pair. The ground beneath them cracked, and the entire factory shook. A great shockwave tore through the room. Despite the power unleashed, however, the pair remained on their feet.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me…” Nia sighed, pulling herself up with Dromarch’s help. “They’re still standing?”

“No.” Mòrag commented. “She calculated the precise power output required. That’s the Aegis for you.” As the pair stood, their Blades began to fade, their Core Crystals cut clean through by the beam. Patroka reached for her weapon, but it crumbled into a fine ether mist. She turned just in time to catch her Blade’s smile one last time. Her hands began shaking.

“You…” She muttered, pulling herself to her feet. She locked eyes with Mythra as the group surrounded them.

“Now would be a good time to start explaining yourself.” Mythra crossed her arms. “Mikhail.”

“It’s simple, really.” He smirked. “You see, I-”

“You murdering bitch!” Patroka screamed, cutting him off. “I’ll tear you to pieces!” A silver glaive materialized in her hand, and a cloud of pure ether energy began to build up around her. She advanced, her glaive aimed straight at Mythra.

“Stop!” Mikhail shouted. “You can’t use that here, Patroka!”

“Such immense power.” Mòrag said, forced back by Patroka’s ether. “Is she even human?”

“No.” Brighid shook her head. “She has to be a-” Suddenly, Patroka collapsed, clutching her chest. Her weapon dissipated, and a green light began to pulse over her body.

“Are you alright?” Mikhail asked, rushing to her side.

“Body… won’t…” She barely managed to get words out. Mikhail looked her over for a moment before locking his eyes on something behind the party. They all turned to see a woman walking toward them. She had long, chestnut hair and golden eyes. She wore a flowing red robe with a white cloth draped over her chest and shoulders. A golden ribbon wove itself around her body, and she wore a tiara amidst her braids. In her hand was a golden staff, tipped with an arch of blue crystals. And on her chest glowed a triangular Core Crystal. Slowly, she walked past the party and toward the Tornan Drivers. Ether flowed from the end of her staff, binding Patroka’s limbs.

“So that’s what’s going on.” Mikhial spat. “That man truly picks the worst times to interfere. Indoline Scum.”

“Indol’s here?” Patroka asked. “Where? Let me at ‘em!”

“Not this time.” Mikhail stood up. “We’re outmatched. Let’s go.”

“Like hell!” Patroka growled. “I’m not done killing them yet!”

“We already got what we came for. And if anything were to happen to you, how could I possibly face Akhos?” He bent down and grabbed Patroka by the waist.

“Let me go!” She howled as he hoisted her onto his shoulder. “Put me down you insolent-”

“Yeah yeah.” Mikhail smirked, turning away from the newcomer as she continued her approach. “You can give me a proper scolding later.” He ran for the edge of the docks. The movement was enough to remind Mòrag of the situation at hand.

“You’re not getting away!” She shouted, sprinting after him. She moved too late. He jumped into the air, and instantly a vessel emerged from beneath the Cloud Sea. The Monoceros surfaced, and Mikhail landed safely on its deck. He gave the group a wink and a wave goodbye as two missile batteries emerged from the hull. They fired a volley at Mòrag as the vessel began to submerge again. She set her teeth and jumped, slicing through the oncoming ordinance before it could reach the others.

“Mòrag!” Rex shouted, running to join her. “You alright?”

“Do not fret.” She replied, dusting herself off. “It’ll take more than that to dispatch me. But still… They got away.”

“More importantly…” Brighid said, turning to face the newcomer. “Fan la Norne. Goddess of the Praetorium. To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Fan?” Mythra asked. “That’s not…” She frowned, studying the woman’s figure. Fan paid Mythra no mind and turned to face Rex.

“I am Fan la Norne.” She said. “Envoy of the Indoline Praetorium. And you are Rex, Driver of the Aegis. The Praetor requests an audience. Please, come with me.”

-

Jin paced through Torna’s base alone. He gazed over the many Core Crystals they had freed, all safely stored within the walls of the central chamber. In the middle of the chamber, a large pillar of ice stood, unmelting. Jin turned his gaze to it, and his expression softened. Inside was a woman with bright auburn hair. She wore a similar red and white robed outfit to Fan, but on her limbs was black spiked plate armor. A hole had been torn in her chest, and her heart was missing.

“It won’t be long now…” Jin muttered. “Lora…”


	5. Interlude 1 - The Golden Country

Malos floated above Omrantha, capital city of the nation of Coeia. From his Siren unit, he could see the whole Titan laid out in front of him. The country had mobilized a fleet of Titan ships that were currently engaging his Gargoyle units below.

“You’re that eager to die?” He smirked. “Then allow me to assist!” Long, thin metal arms unfolded from the sides of his Artifice, forming the rails of a large cannon. Dark ether streamed down it and pierced the Titan’s side. He raked it across the creature, carving a scar down its length. One of its fins came loose, sinking beneath the Cloud Sea, but the beast didn’t die right away. He drove his Siren forward into the Titan’s side and pushed. It had fled its usual course during the initial assault. Energy poured out from his cannon, carving an ever-larger hole in its side as he knocked it into the side of the World Tree. Great roots pierced its hide as Malos’s attack finally cut through its core. With one final howl, the Titan’s ether lines went dark, and it hung limp, impaled on the side of the World Tree.

-

“Jin!” Lora shouted, her back hitting the stone cliff. “A little help!” She stared down the Volff with nothing but the red cord bound around her right hand. It snarled and charged, and she rolled to the side. It was quick to turn, however, and managed to scramble on top of her before she could stand up. She stretched the cord between her hands and pulled it tight in front of her face, catching the Volff’s jaws inches from her nose. It struggled to get at her, inching closer every second.

With a grunt, Jin crashed into it, piercing its side with his sword. He tore the weapon through its ribcage and out its back as he stood up. The creatures behind him lunged, and he stretched out his hand, impaling them with shards of ice. He twisted and threw the sword at Lora just in time for another Volff to show up. She cut its head clean from it shoulders as it charged. She glanced out across the forest, making sure no more members of the pack had followed them that far.

“Thank you.” She said, tossing the sword back to him.

“Don’t.” He frowned, sheathing the blade. “We’ve got room for improvement.”

“Of what?”

“This fighting style.” He motioned around at the dozen or so corpses at their feet. “It magnifies our strength, sure, but it leaves us wide open. When the sword is in my hand, you’re left defenseless.”

“What, you won’t keep me safe?” She asked. She walked up to him and placed her hand against his cheek. She had to reach to compensate for the height difference. “_I’ll keep you safe, always!_” She smiled, doing her best to imitate Jin’s voice.

“You still remember that?” Jin asked, taking her hand away from his face.

“How am I supposed to forget? That was the day you set me free from a life of misery.”

“I see.” Jin sighed. “Well, we’d better keep moving. The next town’s still a good half a day’s walk.”

-

The child huddled alone in the middle of the burnt-out house. The roof had nearly crushed him when it collapsed, but he judged by the screaming coming from outside that it had spared him the worst of the horrors. He waited, absolutely still, until the noise stopped. Even when the attackers had moved on, he didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t risk exposing himself. He barely even let out a cry when the roof was pulled away.

“Live one!” Jin shouted, casting the rubble aside. The silver-haired man stared down at the child. Small, blonde, wearing a tight-fitting burgundy servant’s uniform. Between that and the size of the house, he gathered he’d found the village chief’s residence. That this was the only survivor they’d found was a stark indicator of how bad things had gone.

“What happened?” Lora asked, leaning over the child. He shied away from her, and she backed up, indicating for Jin to do the same. “Are you alone?”

“There’s too much rubble left to be the Aegis’s handiwork.” Jin said, stepping back and taking another look around the village. “Must’ve been humans, looting and pillaging while the world burns.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Lora continued, crawling forward and offering the child a hand. “Would you like to come with us?” He stared at it for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. “You don’t have to worry, really. We’re good people, I promise.” He looked up at her. She smiled down at him. He took her hand, and she pulled him out of the rubble. He was covered in soot, but otherwise looked unharmed. As she set him on his feet, however, he stumbled. Jin rushed forward to catch him.

“Can you walk?” Jin asked. The boy nodded. “Good going.” Jin patted him on the head and let him up. The boy took another moment to steady himself, but he didn’t fall over.

“And… your family?” Lora asked. “Were they there with you? Should we keep looking, or-”

“Don’t have one.” The boy muttered. “I was sold here. From Estham. So… I’m all alone.”

“I see… Right then!” Lora clapped her hands together. “How about this? Starting today, we can be your family! We’ll take you back to our friends, and-”

“You’re strangers.” The boy turned away from her. “You don’t have to pretend to care.”

“You don’t beat around the bush…” She sighed. “Very well. Friends first then, not family. How’s that sound?”

“Mikhail.” The boy said, eyes downcast. “My name is… Mikhail.”

“Oh!” Lora straightened up. “Right. I’m Lora, and this is Jin.” She motioned over at him, standing a distance away from the two. He was still looking over the ruins for signs of life.

“I’m going to scout the area again.” He said. “Maybe there’s someone we missed. Get him out of here, will you?”

“Of course.” Lora nodded, ushering Mikhail out of the village. “And Jin, make sure you-”

“I know.” He raised his mask over his shoulder and waved it at her for a moment before putting it on. “Can’t be too careful.”

-

That night Lora and Jin sat around a campfire next to a lake nearby the village. Mikhail had gone to sleep almost immediately after he’d laid down, but the two of them were wide awake. Jin was turning his mask over in his hands.

“How sad.” Lora said, staring into the fire. It took her a moment to elaborate. “That village, I mean. You’re sure the Aegis wasn’t responsible?”

“The towns razed by the Aegis were completely obliterated.” Jin said. “That one was burned by human hands. We should inform the mercenaries, see if we can’t find out who’s responsible.”

“How could a person do something so awful?”

“I don’t know…” Jin sighed. “But it won’t do us any good dwelling on it. We’re meeting up with Haze tomorrow, you should get some rest.”

“I’d almost forgotten.” Lora smiled. “I wonder if she’s found any leads on Mother. I hope so, anyway.”

“We’ll know for sure tomorrow.” Jin stood up. “I’ll prepare some food, then rest up.”

“Thanks.” Lora yawned. “I can take first watch, though. No need to tire yourself out.”

“I’m not the tired one.” Jin smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Get some rest. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

-

The next afternoon, they approached the outskirts of another village. Despite the time of day, the village itself was virtually silent.

“Lazy afternoon, today.” Lora remarked. “It’s almost like there’s no one here.”

“Too quiet.” Mikhail said, hiding behind Jin’s leg. “Something’s wrong.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Lora smiled. “Everyone’s probably just…” She trailed off as a glint caught her eye. She peered past the initial houses, looking for the source, and saw a large, glassy substance had covered the cliffs hanging over the village. She also noticed that the rest of the village was gone. She ran forward, confirming her fears. Where the village had been was now an impact crater. The surrounding rock had been reduced to glass.

“This should be the village of Feltley.” She muttered, looking out across the devastation. The crater was bored deep into not only the ground but the cliffside, and shards of melted rock stuck up from around its rim. The houses and fields that had escaped the initial blast were riddled with fragments of stone. One looked like it had been on fire, until recently.

“It’s like glass.” Jin said, crouching down to get a better look at the crater. “Rumor has it that’s…” He paused for a moment, hesitating to say the words aloud. “The hallmark of the Aegis…”

“Do you think Haze was here when it happened?” Lora asked. “We should-”

“Down!” Jin shouted, tacking Lora into the crater. A moment later, a large metal object passed over their heads. It landed in the center of the crater as they tumbled down the sides, Jin’s mask flying off in the process. As the pair got to their feet, the metal object unfolded, standing to its full height.

It stood nearly as tall as the crater, towering over the pair. It stood digitigrade on two-pronged hooves with legs nearly half its total height. Its squat torso was filled with partially exposed mechanisms covered by a curved metal plate that transitioned into a tail behind it. In the center of its chest was a large purple cross-shaped crystal. Its shoulders were broad and its arms long, tipped in claws that scraped the ground even when it stood at full height. Its head had a single glowing eye and a long pair of blade-like horns. On its back glowed a pair of crooked wings the same color as the crystal on its chest, and above its head hovered a thin ring of yellow light.

“That’s no normal monster.” Lora said, backing away from the thing as it slowly swept its eye over the area.

“Not an Ardainian Titan weapon either.” Jin grunted. He threw up an ether shield around the pair and turned to Mikhail, still watching from the edge of the crater. “Run!” He shouted. Mikhail did as he was told.

The metal creature, however, only reacted by lingering on the boy’s movement for a moment longer than the rest of the surroundings. It moved one of its hands idly, exposing the barrel of a cannon set into the palm, but otherwise it continued to observe. It took a step forward, and Lora and Jin both began to retreat up the side of the crater.

Suddenly, the creature’s eye locked onto something. It raised its hand and aimed the barrel at a point on the cliffside above it. Purple energy began to gather in its palm.

“Look out down there!” A woman’s voice shouted over the sound of the machine’s cannon warming up. Without more warning, a bolt of golden light pierced the sky and struck the metal creature dead on. The attack was so bright Jin and Lora were forced to look away. After several seconds, it died down. All that was left of the metal creature was a plume of smoke and a pile of bubbling sludge.

“That was a close one.” A man’s voice rang out. “Be more careful next time, would you?”

The smoke cleared, and a pair of people stood over the remains of the monster. The woman had long blonde hair and wore a shot white dress. Her wrists, shoulders, and hips were covered in plates of gold armor set with large, green crystals. A smaller green cross-shaped crystal glowed on her chest. The man had golden eyes and short silver hair bound into a tassel on one side. He wore white segmented plate armor with golden trim that left his shoulders exposed. At his waist hung a golden sash, and on his back was a long, slender steel sword.

“It was an Artifice.” The woman complained. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Not endangering innocent bystanders would be a good start.” The man sighed. He turned to Jin and Lora. “I’m sorry about all this mess, it’s just we’ve-” He stopped, noticing the Core Crystal on Jin’s forehead at the same instant Lora noticed the crest on his armor.

“The emblem of Torna.” She muttered, tightening the grip on her cord.

“You’re Jin, right?” The man asked. “I can’t believe it!” He smiled wide, spreading his arms out to match. “I came all the way out here, and who do I save but the Paragon of Torna and his Driver! But…” He narrowed his gaze on Lora. “It’d been years since that core was stolen. Quite a feat, to pull that heist at that age.”

“Are you going to arrest us?” Lora asked. “Execute us?”

“I don’t know yet.” The man smirked, crossing his arms. “I did just save you, after all.”

“That light was yours, then?”

“Mine, actually.” The woman said. “And you’re welcome, by the way.”

“For what? Nearly-”

“Lora.” Jin said, drawing his sword. “There’s no point in talking.”

“Perceptive.” The woman smiled. “Let’s get this over with.” She stretched out her hand and produced a golden sword from the surrounding ether. Green light erupted along its length, and she rushed forward.

Jin ran forward in the same instant, and their swords clashed. Shards of ice formed around his head and fired at the woman. She ducked underneath them and punched up at Jin’s stomach, leaving her Driver exposed. Several of the ice shards came within a hair’s breadth of striking him, but he managed to evade. He drew his own sword and began circling the two Blades. Lora ran straight for him, cord outstretched.

The woman’s sword unleashed a blast of golden light that nearly knocked Jin off his feet. He crouched and attempted to sweep her legs, but she jumped over the attack and brought her sword down on his head. He blocked it with his and jumped, forcing her back. Mist began to billow out from his waistcoat as he did, slowly forming ice crystals on the woman’s legs.

Lora threw out her cord as the man raised his sword. It sailed past his blade and she pulled it taut. The end wrapped around his blade, nearly pulling it from his grip. His swing was halted as he tried to pull it out of the cord’s grasp. As the pair struggled against each other, Jin and the woman both jumped. She swung her sword down on his head again, and he moved to block. At the last second, he threw his sword down to Lora and blocked the woman’s strike with an ether shield. Lora grabbed the sword as it fell and swung at the man. He just managed to drag his sword out in front of the attack, but it knocked him off balance.

Jin landed and grabbed the sword from Lora as she spun around, delivering a follow-up strike at the man’s defenses. His guard broke. Jin passed the sword to Lora as she lunged forward, raising his hand to block an attack from the woman as she landed. Lora placed her sword against the man’s neck in the same instant the woman broke through Jin’s ether barrier. As she did, a crystal set into her hair band began to glow, and another bolt of golden light struck the walls of the crater.

“The next one won’t miss.” She growled, holding her sword above Jin’s Core Crystal. Lora, blade held to the Driver’s neck, locked eyes with her.

“Incredible!” The man shouted, his smile returning. “Both of you!” He stepped out from behind Lora’s sword and approach Jin. The woman sighed and dematerialized her sword as he continued to talk. “That last attack? The timing was perfect! Oh, and passing the weapon?” He looked between Jin and Lora. “What a concept!” He ran back over to Lora. “How did you ever come up with _that_ idea?”

“We…” Lora looked between the man and Jin. The man’s face was beaming, no hint of malice. And Jin was unharmed. Tentatively, she lowered her sword. “We were… broke.”

“Beg pardon?” The woman asked.

“We couldn’t afford meals, let alone another sword.” Lora crossed her arms. “And so we made do.”

The man burst out laughing. “You’re kidding?!” He nearly doubled over before recomposing himself somewhat. “Oh, man. You guys are the best! I haven’t laughed this hard in ages!”

“The hell?” Jin and Lora exchanged a worried glance.

“I really, _really_ like you two!” The man continued to shout.

“Master Addam!” A voice shouted from the top of the crater. An auburn-haired woman and a Gormotti boy had gathered with Mikhail at the edge. The boy continued to shout as he jumped over the edge and slit down the crater’s walls. “Sir!”

“Milton!” Addam shouted back, turning to embrace the newcomer. The boy had light brown hair and green eyes. He wore green overalls over a white collared shirt and had a satchel bag slung over one shoulder.

The Blade that followed him down into the crater had long, chestnut hair and golden eyes. She wore a flowing red robe with a white cloth draped over her chest and shoulders. A golden ribbon wove itself around her body, and she wore a tiara amidst her braids. In her hand was a golden staff, tipped with an arch of blue crystals. A diamond-shaped Core Crystal glowed on her chest.

“Thank goodness you’re alright.” Milton said, face still partially buried in Addam’s chest. “Master Addam, are you hurt at all?”

“Master Addam?” Lora asked. “You can’t be _the_ Addam Origo?!”

“The Lord of Aletta.” Jin sighed. “Just our luck.”

“Oh come on, Milton.” The woman said, sidling up beside the boy. “I’ve been with him the whole time. You really think these two would cause any harm?”

“You’ve been using your dumb Artifice again, haven’t you?” Milton frowned, hands on his hips as he turned to address her. “So yeah, sure, nothing to worry about, right?”

“Dumb?!” The woman shouted. “I’ll-”

“Not in front of our guests.” Addam said, putting a hand between the pair. He squatted down to eye level with Milton and nodded toward the Blade with the auburn hair. “Who’s this, then?”

“This is Haze!” Milton beamed. “We ran into each other after you ran off chasing the Gargoyle. Rescued me from the jaws of some nasty monsters, too.”

“Haze!” Lora shouted, running over and wrapping her arms around her. “I was so worried! I thought maybe you’d been caught up in whatever destroyed the village!”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, my lady.” Haze smiled. “As the boy said, I was held up offering him some assistance.”

“Was she with you?” Addam asked, standing up. “Well, I’d better give her my thanks, then. But a crater like this is no place to talk. Come on, we’ve got a camp nearby. I’ll treat you all, as thanks for helping save Milton.” He began climbing out of the crater. When the others emerged behind them, Mikhail shot them a worried look. They just shrugged in reply.

-

Lora, Jin, and Mikhail all sat with Addam’s group in their camp not long after. They were swapping stories as they waited for the stew on the fire to boil.

“I see…” Addam sniffled. “So that’s when… What a sad, sad tale, Lora…” He began crying into his palm.

“Here we go again.” Milton sighed, offering Addam a handkerchief. Addam took it as the boy stood up to check on the stew again. Deeming it ready enough, he began to portion it out into bowls and pass them around the group.

“Don’t let it get cold, now.” He said, passing Mikhail his portion. The Tornan boy nodded in silence as he took the bowl.

“So then…” Addam continued, still dabbing at his eyes. “How come you’ve enlisted with a band of mercenaries?”

“I guess I like the freedom.” Lora said. “This way I’m not tied down. And I get to help out with the causes I really believe in. Going’s tough everywhere you look these days, right? I can’t just ignore it.”

“I understand.” Addam nodded.

“Fat lot of good that’ll do in the long run.” Mythra said. “The world keeps turning anyway.”

“So you say.” Jin said. “But the only true way to guarantee you cannot effect change is to stop trying. What we do is not in vain.”

“A Blade siding with humans… You don’t see that every day.”

“I think it’s Blades like you that are rare.”

“Well, duh!” Mythra crossed her arms and smirked. “You do know what I am, right?”

“Lacking in compassion.” Jin said. Not a question but a statement. “That Blades like you are a rare sight might be for the best.”

“Now now…” Addam sighed. “We should at least attempt to all get along.”

Mythra scoffed and stood up, taking a bowl from Milton’s hands and storming out of the camp.

“So…” Lora said, eyeing Mythra warily. “Does this mean you won’t be taking Jin away from me?”

“My mission is to stop the Aegis’s destruction.” Addam said. “To subdue Malos. Not to seek out lost trinkets. Who cares about Paragons anyway?”

“You’re less princely that I’d imagined.” Lora let slight a laugh.

“I get that from time to time.” Addam accepted a bowl from Milton. “I know! How about you three join up with us? You can certainly hold your own in a fight, and there’s loads I want to pick up from you. That trick with passing the sword, for instance.”

“That won’t get you in trouble?” Jin asked. “Traveling with stolen goods?”

“We’ll just say I found you on my journey and entrusted you to Lora. To help against Malos. Sound plausible?”

“I don’t know what to say…” Lora looked down at the fire. “Let us give it some thought?”

“Of course.” Addam stood up. “I should probably go deal with Mythra anyhow. Just let me know by morning, yeah?” He took his food and walked over to where Mythra was standing.

“How dare he speak to me like that.” She grumbled. “He thinks he knows me!”

“Coarse is the word.” Addam said.

“Yeah. He is.”

“I meant you.”

“Me?!”

“All that stuff about lacking compassion… What he’s trying to say is that you’re unpolished. When Blades returned to their cores, they lose their memories. But as they gain experience with people, gradually their nature… Or, rather, their feelings change and grow. They become more and more human.” He turned to Mythra. “But you purposefully keep yourself apart.”

“Oh, so now it’s my fault?!”

“No, not at all.” He sighed. Her eyebrows went up a fraction. “I respect that part of you. But… Not everyone is going to see it that way. That’s all I’m saying.”

He didn’t notice, but Mythra turned her face away so he wouldn’t see her blush.

-

“Are you angry?” Lora asked, studying Jin’s face. “About this whole Malos thing?”

“I’m not.” He shrugged. “Whatever happens, I’ll protect you. Be sure of it. You said it yourself, we can’t ignore what’s happening. But…” He fixed his gaze on Lora’s face.

“But what?”

“Please say you’ll be careful.”

“I will.” She smiled.

“My lady?” Haze asked. “Is now a bad time?”

“Haze, I’m sorry.” Lora said. “I guess in all the commotion, I forgot about your mission.”

“It’s quite alright.” Haze smiled. “It is good to see you two enjoying yourselves.”

“No opinion to register on this whole Malos affair?” Jin asked.

“Wherever our lady goes, I will follow. But, for right now at least, I believe we have more pressing concerns than Malos.”

“Did you find her?” Lora asked, nearly dropping her bowl.

“I did.” Haze nodded, her expression solemn. “A small village in Candoris.”

“So she’s alive…” Lora muttered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Candoris.” Addam said, rejoining the group. “That’s a dangerous area. The remnants of the Coeian army have been clashing with the Ardanians out there lately.”

“Your highness, I-” Lora began to speak.

“Just Addam is fine. I take it something important has come up?”

“Yes. I guess going after Malos will have to wait a few days.”

“My lady seeks the whereabouts of her mother.” Haze explained. “But as she has her mercenary duties to perform, I often conduct the searches in her place.”

“And you’ve found her in Candoris…” Addam muttered. He stood still for a moment, lost in thought. “Milton, has Malos hit Candoris yet?”

“There was a single, unconfirmed Gargoyle sighting on that Continent two weeks ago.” Milton replied, glancing up from where he and Mikhail were sitting. “But nothing ever came of it.”

“Right.” Addam clapped his hands together. “Candoris it is, then.”

“But what about your mission?” Lora asked.

“You don’t want to see your mother?”

“Of course I do, but-”

“Then let’s go! Malos hasn’t hit Candoris yet, so it’s as good a place as any to look. Certainly better than here, now that we’ve chased the last of his Artifices off.”

“That sounds too easy.” Jin said.

“We go to Candoris to find Malos, you go to find your mother.” Addam shrugged. “Everybody wins.”

“And once I’ve found my mother, I join up with you?” Lora asked.

“That’s the general idea, yes. Perhaps we could find a place for your mother in the capital until this war blows over? It’ll be safer there than the Candorisian outback.”

“Is this normal princely behavior?” Haze asked.

“If you think this is bad, just stick around for a bit.” Mythra said, walking up behind Addam.

“Nobody’s, like, making you come along, you know.” Milton said.

“Unfortunately, a Driver and Blade are one in body and soul.”

“As if you don’t do whatever it is you feel like anyway.” Milton sighed. “What about you, Mik? Got anywhere you need to be?”

“I think I’ll stick with you.” The boy said, quietly. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

“Don’t worry.” Milton smiled. “Master Addam and Miss Lora will keep the bad guys away. Nothing to be afraid of.”

-

A man watched the camp from afar. He clutched his metal arm as he did, working his fingers over the blue prosthesis. A poor replacement for the one he’d lost. The one that had been taken from him. By that man. The Blade he’d stolen all those years ago, and the brat that woke it up. He never thought he’d see them again.

“Bluefist?” His employer asked, drawing the man back to reality. His Blade was projecting the man’s fuzzy image out of its Core Crystal. “You called me for a reason.”

“The whole village was wiped out.” He said, glancing back at the camp so make sure they couldn’t hear him through the trees. “Found myself some great Core Crystals though.” He lifted up a sack filled with them. All inert. “And I found something else too. Something real interesting.”

“You keened for this?” His employer frowned. The man couldn’t actually get that level of resolution through the image, but he imaged it happened.

“I’m just letting you know that the shipment’s going to be a little delayed.” The man smirked. “But don’t worry. When it comes, you’ll have your hands on the Paragon of Torna himself.”

-

Azurda speared the Gargoyle on his horn, carrying it into the sky. The Artifice struggled to free itself, charging up a blast of dark ether in one of its palms. Azurda roared and wrenched the arm aside, hitting another Gargoyle with the blast. He reached up and tore the Artifice’s head from its shoulders before dropping the body onto the battlefield below.

More reinforcements arrived as he flew back down to take out another Gargoyle. For a moment, he took stock of the Drivers and Blades still standing. Noporikh immediately stood out, being the regiment’s only Nopon Driver. A black-haired woman in a fox mask and a large, purple orb stood on either side of him. Kasandra and Boreas, his Blades. They had a reputation for their terrible luck, but they were some of the strongest fighters in Azurda’s contingent. Kasandra knocked the leg out from under a Gargoyle with a large hammer, and Boreas’s arm manifested for a follow up punch to its core. They both retreated as Noporikh threw a ball at the core, detonating it in an explosion of wind ether. The Gargoyle didn’t stand up.

Across the battlefield, the Regiderian “king” howled, swinging his axe through two Gargoyles at once. He stood over his Driver, lopsided crown threatening to slip off as he tried desperately to beat the mechanical soldiers back. Azurda changed course and struck his horn through the core of one of them, destroying it instantly and letting up some of the pressure on the monarch. The militia hadn’t arrived in time to save his self-proclaimed kingdom, but Azurda hoped he would survive, at least. They were in desperate need of more Blades.

Ursula’s music caught his ears as he looked for another target. He spotted her atop her bear, almost eerily calm as she strummed her instrument and sang. Her voice carried across much of Temperantia’s fin, its ether infusing their allies with renewed strength. Her Driver Mabon stood by, wearing her gauntlets and doing his best to keep the Gargoyles at bay. His other Blade, a tall blonde woman in a white dress named Vess, threw out her ball, knocking a Gargoyle to the ground with a blast of lightning. He swiftly froze it on the spot before moving on to the next target.

The woman in the bath, Sheba, stood back to back with one of the newcomers, a green-haired Blade named Nim with a two-headed fox creature on her shoulders. They were surrounded by a pack of Gargoyles, barely managing to avoid blasts of dark ether. Neither of their Drivers were in sight. Azurda was about to assist them when another Blade, a woman carrying a large bag of wind across her shoulders, tore through one of their attackers. She split the Gargoyle in half with her axe before jumping onto the next one, cackling all the while. When she’d reduced the Artifices to scrap, she moved on to the next fight. The other two Blades followed her. He didn’t recognize her, but that she was on their side made Azurda breathe a little easier.

“Titan.” A voice spoke in Azurda’s ear. He craned his head to see a Blade. Most of her body was constructed out of paper bound by a series of large leather straps. It formed a loose waistcoat behind her, but didn’t fill out her feet or her chest, which were held together by pure ether energy. She wasn’t a member of the militia, but he’d seen her at previous battles whenever one of Malos’s stronger Artifices made an appearance.

“What do you require of me?” Azurda asked. He landed in a relatively clear patch of land, knocking a Gargoyle into a blast from Sheba’s ether cannon.

“You’re the field commander of this regiment.” The Blade said. “I am Adenine the Seeker. I need your help.”

“You’ve never come to us in the past.”

“While you’ve been reacting to threats, I’ve been acting. Tracking the movements of Malos and his army, to be precise. I’ve pinned down the location of his major contingents. I’ll give you the information I’ve gathered if you agree to help me.”

“You realize by withholding that information you make it that much easier for Malos to plan his attacks.”

“I need some assurance you’ll leave my target intact.”

“Who or what did you have in mind?”

“Rhea. I need information from its core. I want your help in subduing it without completely destroying it.”

“A tall order.” Azurda said. He sat and thought for a moment. “It generally doesn’t stick around long enough for us to mount a coordinated assault, but I’ll put the word out, see if we can-” A shockwave rippled through the battlefield, knocking Driver, Blade, and Gargoyle alike off their feet. Temperantia let out a wail, drowning out the remaining sounds of battle.

“It seems it’s here.” Adenine said, looking out across Temperantia’s fin. She focused on the ruins of Regideria, a small collection of buildings closer to Temperantia’s spine. Azurda could see large twists of water ether coiling over the walls. Through them, he could see the rise and fall of Rhea’s hammer.

Azurda took to the skies and let out a whistle. A high-pitched keen that echoed across the battlefield. A signal to every available Driver and Blade to converge on his location. Without looking to see who heeded the call, he shot forward at the ruins, his passenger still clutching his face tightly. He crashed through a wall and struck the titanic Artifice in the side, knocking it back.

It was a towering black form, more human that the Gargoyles that followed it, but intimidating nonetheless. Its head was largely one orange casing, likely to house its absentee pilot Malos. It wielded a hammer, twice its own height and heavier than most non-continental Titans. It struck one of Azurda’s compatriots from the air. A flying Titan with whom he had a passing acquaintance, but the loss was heavy all the same.

“Azurda!” A Gormotti man shouted, breaking from cover. It was Gwynn, the leader of the militia’s forces from Gormott. His two Blades were already out on the battlefield. Clíodhna, a silver-haired woman with long, foxlike ears, and Dormarch, a large white animal that combined the features of a wolf and a tiger.

“I need that thing alive!” Adenine shouted, jumping down from Azurda’s face and sliding a pair of books off her back. Her wrists separated, clamping around the books to forma crude pair of gauntlets. She fired a blast of wind ether at Rhea’s leg, but it barely felt the impact.

Azurda charged the Artifice as Clíodhna’s ether tendrils surged for its legs. It planted its feet, meeting both attacks head on without flinching. Azurda’s horn dented its plate armor but didn’t pierce through. Rhea swung its hammer down on top of him. He caught it by the head, struggling to keep the weight of it from crushing him entirely. It began to heat up, and Azurda roared.

Ether blasts from Adenine and Dormarch lifted the pressure momentarily, and Azurda scrambled back before its hammer struck the ground. The resulting shockwave leveled every nearby building. Dormarch put an ether shield around himself, Gwynn, and Clíodhna just before it hit. She threw out jets of water ether behind herself the moment it passed, rocketing the three into Rhea’s shoulder. She struck its armor with her sword, a dozen spears of water ether impacting a moment later.

Rhea tried to brush them off as Gwynn and Dormarch began to tear at its armor with claws and ether rings, but Azurda threw himself on top of its hand to pin it. Adenine blasted herself up to Rhea’s face and began bashing the casing of the cockpit in with her gauntlets. Rhea swung its hammer up and struck Azurda into the air. He spun around and drove his horn into the shoulder opposite Gwynn and his Blades. The impact nearly threw them off their perch, and it knocked Rhea to its knees. Azurda twisted himself as he fell, tearing a long scar down Rhea’s shoulder and narrowly avoiding breaking his own neck.

Missile silos opened along its arms, firing salvoes at Azurda and Gwynn. Azurda braced himself for the impacts, unable to dislodge his horn in time, but Gwynn was forced off Rhea’s shoulder. The missiles banked as he and his Blades scattered, a cluster pursuing each separately. Adenine took her attention away from the cockpit for a moment to blast some from the air. Dormarch took down most of the rest as he landed, unleashing a sonic roar that shredded them. Several survived, however, striking the beast in the chest. He collapsed as Clíodhna and Gwynn rushed forward again, this time aiming for the wound Azurda had made.

Rhea’s free hand struck out and clasped around Clíodhna. Instantly she threw up an ether shield, but Rhea began unleashing blasts of dark ether from a cannon in its palm, cracking her defenses. Gwynn grabbed Dormarch’s twin rings and struck at the chinks between its fingers but made little progress.

Azurda pulled his horn out of Rhea’s shoulder as it raised its hammer once again. White-hot fire burst from vents on the side, and it swung down at Gwynn. Azurda grabbed the handle and tried to pull it away but lacked the strength. Before it could strike its target, however, Kasandra leapt over a nearby wall and struck it with her own hammer, knocking it to the side. It struck the ground relatively harmlessly. Before Rhea could raise it again, a bolt of lightning struck it from behind.

Vess and Mabon emerged from the far side of the ruins, leading a small contingent of Drivers and Blades. They rushed forward, striking at the back of Rhea’s knee. It buckled and released Clíodhna. Azurda reached up and grabbed it by the neck, dragging its head down into striking range of some of the other Blades. A blast of water from Sheba’s cannon cut through the cockpit, allowing Adenine to tear off a chunk of it and slip inside.

The newcomer that had assisted Sheba and Nim jumped over a nearby wall and kicked Azurda in the face, knocking him to the ground. She dug her axe into Rhea’s throat and began to tear.

“This one’s mine, scaly!” She shouted. A blast of wind ether rippled out from her hand, severing several cables in Rhea’s neck. It struck her aside with its free hand and swung its hammer at the group of new Drivers. Kasandra met its strike with her own, her feet digging into the ground as she held the weapon aloft. Dark ether poured out from her hammer and coiled around Rhea, but it did little to stop the pressure. Boreas and Vess both threw their bitballs at it, striking it in the chest repeatedly with explosions. Dormarch managed to get to his feet and claw his way through the wound on its shoulder, tearing at its insides. Azurda lurched up from where he’d been struck down and grabbed the handle of the hammer, attempting to lift Rhea into the sky with massive beats of his wings.

Suddenly, Rhea stopped moving. Kasandra scrambled out from underneath the hammer as it fell to the ground, Rhea’s grip loosened. The lights inside the cockpit went dim, and Adenine stuck her hand through the cockpit, thumb up.

“Halt!” Azurda bellowed. The newcomer continued her rampage, so Azurda had to pull her out of Rhea’s chest himself, but the members of the militia did as instructed, if somewhat hesitantly.

“We need it intact.” He explained, setting the newcomer down. “Adenine, how much time do you need?”

“Five minutes.” She replied, her voice muffled. “Maybe six. Then you can scrap this blasted thing.”

“You heard her.” Azurda looked around at the gathered Blades. “We dealt Malos’s army a great blow today, slaying Rhea, but the war is far from over. The rest of you return to the battle and ensure that this kingdom is the last we lose in the struggle against Malos’s terror.”

The battle lines began to disperse, and Azurda turned his attention to the newcomer. She was straining against his grip, still attempting to get at Rhea.

“Let me go!” She shouted. “I’ve got stuff to kill!”

“What is your name?” He asked.

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because I respect your strength. I think you’d make a valuable asset to the militia’s forces. What is your name?”

“Zenobia.” She said, pouting. “And I don’t need a collar, thank you very much. I prefer to do this on my own.”

“Where is your Driver? Surely you have one?”

“Helping the refugees evacuate. The lily-liver’s never any good in a fight, so he leaves it all up to me. Which suits me just fine.”

“You like to fight. If you join up with us, you might even get a chance to go up against Malos himself. What would you say to that?”

“I’ll… Consider it.” She said, still pouting. “But only if you let me go.”

“Let Adenine do her work.” Azurda cautioned, letting her go. “Then you can rip and tear as much as you like.”

“Fine.” She sighed. She grabbed her axe from Rhea’s neck and began swinging it around in preparation.

“A victory…” Gwynn said, staring out across the battlefield. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“I have this under control.” Azurda said. “You should get to the wounded. We’ve already lost enough Titans and Drivers as it is, today. Let’s try not to lose more.”

“It is as you say.” Gwynn smiled. “Clíodhna, let’s-”

“Run!” Adenine shouted, jumping out of the cockpit. A light on Rhea’s chest began to glow, melting through its outer armor. Azurda grabbed Gwynn and his Blades in one hand and swept up Zenobia with the other. He took to the sky as Adenine jumped on his back and soared. A moment later, Rhea detonated.

The explosion vaporized Regideria and the area around it. It knocked Azurda out of the sky and sent him crashing into a cliff. It tore a crater the size of a small city out of Temperantia’s fin and knocked every combatant off their feet. The Titan cried out in pain, and its swim through the Cloud Sea halted. Azurda feared for a moment that it was sinking, but it simply stalled, in shock from the pain. It continued to stay afloat.

“Is everyone alright?” Azurda asked, unclenching his fists.

“A little worse for wear.” Gwynn groaned, Clíodhna’s hands running along him to check for wounds. “I think my leg’s broken.”

“I didn’t get to kill it!” Zenobia shouted. “How do you think I’m doing?”

“The self-destruct mechanism was unexpected.” Adenine said, sliding off Azurda’s back. “But I got what I was after. Here.” She tore several pages out of her waistcoat and handed them to Gwynn. “All of my notes of the movements of Malos’s armies. I’ve pegged Genbu as Bar-Yuchnei’s next target, and Czernobog’s lurking somewhere in Torna.”

“And Malos himself?”

“Sorry.” Adenine smiled. “I’ve not been tracking him. No interest, really. Can’t get information from a guy like him. I did have some fun speculating on his next target, though.”

“Candoris.” Gwynn said, leafing through the notes. “We should alert Emperor Hugo.”

“I’ll try to contact Addam as well.” Azurda said. “We may finally have him cornered.” He took to the skies to return to the militia’s base camp while Gwynn and the others returned to the battle. The ranks of the Gargoyles were breaking, after Rhea’s destruction. A victory indeed. Azurda only hoped Malos wouldn’t respond in kind.

-

Candoris was a hulking crustacean, larger in scope than even Gormott or Mor Ardain. The upper half of its shell sat above the Cloud Sea, while eight segmented legs speared into its depths, supporting the Titan’s weight. Addam and Lora’s group arrived at a port on one of its claws before making their way up to the village on its back. After more than half a day of travel, they finally found it.

They knew what to expect when they first saw the smoke on the horizon, but they quietly held onto the hope that they were mistaken. Seeing the devastation firsthand was almost heartbreaking. The burnt-out husks of houses dotted the hillside. Fires still raged on fallen rooftops and pillaged fields, but the destruction wasn’t fresh. Unlike Mikhail’s village, this one had long since been abandoned.

“Haze…” Lora said, looking out across the town. “Tell me we’re in the wrong place.”

“I’m sorry.” Haze sighed. “It appears we arrived too late.”

“Here too?” Addam asked. “Candoris is an attractive target, but this… This wasn’t an attack by the Aegis. There might yet be survivors.”

“Whether it was Malos or someone else,” Mythra said, “Clearly they’re all toast by now.”

“Mythra…” Milton frowned. She returned the scowl but stopped when Addam shot her a glare.

“Lora.” Jin said. “Maybe we should-”

“Mother could have run away somewhere safe.” She said. “We won’t know until we find her, right?”

“Right.” Addam said. “Everyone, fan out but stay on guard. There’s no telling what we’re going to find.”

They waded through the ruins of the village, looking for any signs of life. Lora led the way, jaw set and fist clenched at her side. Jin hung back, unsure of what to say to her. A silence settled over the group until they reached the top of the hill. Dozens of mounds of dirt covered the hilltop, each marked with a crude wooden post. A man sat nearby, slumped over a shovel stuck in the ground.

“Fresh graves.” Addam observed. “You there!” Addam called out to the man. “Were there any survivors?” As he walked over, the man fell. He didn’t get back up. Addam ran over to check his pulse and swore under his breath.

“This kind soul must have dug them all.” Haze said. She closed her eyes and began saying a prayer. Mythra clenched her fists, seething with rage as she looked over the graves.

“We should bury him.” She said, her voice small. “He deserves at least that much.”

“Yes, lets.” Addam said. He picked up the shovel and began to dig. Milton and Mikhail left Haze’s side and began to assist him. All three stopped when they heard Lora cry out.

She stood in front of a grave, her hands trembling as they reached out and touched a rope necklace hung around the marker. She stared at it for a moment before tears welled up in her eyes. She collapsed in front of the grave and clutched the necklace to her chest. Jin walked up to her and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder.

“I made this for her myself.” She whispered. “She kept it all this time, I…”

Jin sank down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head against his chest and began to cry. They stayed like that as the others continued their work digging the grave. Haze approached them and put her arms around the pair. Together, tangled up with each other, they grieved.

-

Addam set the shovel down after he finished filling the grave. Lora and her Blades had recovered, somewhat, but Mythra was still standing stock still. She hadn’t moved since she’d laid eyes on the graves. It was the sound of rifle hammers cocking that returned her to reality.

“Surround them!” A voice shouted. Mythra turned to see a dozen Ardainian soldiers fanning out across the hillside, weapons leveled at the group.

“The imperial guard.” Addam frowned.

“Thieving scum!” The soldier in charge shouted. “Don’t think you’re gonna get away with your dirty deeds!”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.” Lora said. “We’re-”

“Problem, captain?” A woman asked, walking up the hill behind the man. She had long, blue, flaming hair and wore a blue open-cut dress. Her arms and legs were coated in rippling blue fire. Small, flame-like patterns glowed blue on her forehead, and set in the collar of her dress was a blue, flame-shaped Core Crystal.

“Lady Brighid!” The captain saluted. “They’re brigands! Same ones who attacked the village, perhaps!”

“Drivers and Blades…” She observed. “Mercenaries?”

“You’re the Jewel of Mor Ardain?” Addam asked. “We need to talk, then! We’re on a mission to-”

“Save the talk for the interrogation chamber.” Brighid spat. “Captain! I shall deal with these individuals. You go inform Emperor Hugo.”

“Yes ma’am!” The captain saluted as Brighid drew her swords. “You lot! Stay here and assist the lady Brighid!”

“Sir!” The men responded. With that, the captain turned and ran back down the hill. Addam and Jin drew their swords, and Haze tossed her staff to Lora. Mikhail and Milton ran behind a nearby tree.

“We shouldn’t hurt them too badly.” Lora said. “They’re only following orders, and they clearly weren’t the ones who attacked the village.”

“I’d rather not fight at all.” Addam sighed. “But it doesn’t look like they’re giving us a choice. Mythra, we should-” He turned to see her manifest her sword, a grim expression on her face. Without waiting for him to finish, she shot forward and swung at Brighid.

Brighid crossed her swords and unleashed a torrent of flame at Mythra. She split the flame with her sword and sent a shockwave of light spiraling across the ground toward Brighid. Brighid jumped and cracked her swords into whips, spreading out half a dozen trails of flame through the air. Mythra jumped after her, and the flames converged on her. Instantly she manifested small segments of ether shielding and blocked the strikes. She twisted through the air and swung her sword, sending a disk of golden light at Brighid. She attempted to block the strike with her swords, but it knocked her to the ground all the same.

Mythra descended on Brighid, sword aimed for her core. Brighid rolled to the side and poised one of her swords to strike through Mythra’s stomach. A small burst of light from her sword threw her feet first into the ground, just in front of the tip of Brighid’s sword. She didn’t even finish landing before she swung at Brighid again. The sword in front of Mythra extended, shooting out toward her chest. Mythra blocked the strike with ether shielding without even looking. Brighid raised her other sword and blocked Mythra’s strike. Instantly one of the fringes of light at her blade’s hilt extended, spearing toward Brighid’s forehead.

Flames coiled out from Brighid’s swords, pushing Mythra back. She blocked them with more shielding segments, and they rolled across the ground harmlessly. The moment she dropped her shields, they rebounded, springing toward her back. She rolled to the side, and the flames followed her. In that same moment Brighid swung her sword up at Mythra’s stomach. She blocked the strike with her own weapon and formed an ether shield around her hand, deflecting the oncoming flames.

Brighid struck out with her second sword before the flames could die down, aiming for Mythra’s head. Mythra jumped back and struck the blade aside with her own. Instantly Brighid’s first sword extended, nearly striking Mythra in the face. Her sword changed hands and she wrapped her arm around Brighid’s whip. She pulled the woman toward herself and raised her knee to strike her in the gut. Brighid took the hit and dropped her whip, reaching up and grabbing Mythra by the neck. Flames shot out of the ground and attempted to bind her limbs. Mythra spun her sword around, nearly taking Brighid’s hands off and forcing her back. The flames struck her but did little more than singe the edges of her dress.

“You’ve a lot of power for someone so clumsy.” Brighid said, reading her swords for another round. “But with such unrefined attacks as that, you can’t hope to-” A golden bolt cracked the sky, spearing straight for Brighid. She managed to jump out of the way at the last moment, but the impact left a crater in the center of the ruined village. Mythra glared at her, the crystal on her forehead glowing bright. Her lips were curled into a snarl.

“Mythra! Stop!” Addam shouted, taking his attention away from disarming the soldiers for a moment. “We’ve got children-” Another bolt struck the ground, again barely missing Brighid. Mythra screamed, intent on unleashing a third.

“Haze!” Lora shouted, tossing the staff back. Haze lifted it into the air and began emitting a green ether from its tip. The ether waves spread out across the battlefield, coiling around Brighid and Mythra’s cores. Brighid collapsed to her knees instantly, shuddering under the pressure. Mythra fought against it, managing to stay on her feet, but the connection to her Artifice broke.

“Let me go!” She screamed. She managed to take a single step forward. Haze doubled the pressure, and she stopped. “She’s the enemy! Let me at her!”

“Addam plainly ordered you to stop.” Lora said. “Or didn’t you hear him, you simpleton?”

“I said let me go!” Mythra shrieked. “I need to make her pay!”

“These aren’t the people who attacked the village.” Addam said, slowly approaching her.

“Extraordinary.” Brighid said, looking between Haze and Lora. “I’d heard of a Blade with the power to restrict others, but… And did you say Addam?”

“All of you, cease this at once!” A voice shouted, drawing everyone attention. “There is no need for this.” He was a young man with blue hair and eyes. He wore a white suit of armor over light blue vestments adorned with all manner of golden trimmings. He held a sword with the crest of the Ardainian Empire in his hand, and had a shield strapped to his back. At his side was the captain Brighid had sent away earlier, along with a Blade. He had tubes running from his legs to his back, threading through his waistcoat before draping over his shoulders. From the back of his head, three tendrils filled with water extended to his waist, where he wore a katana’s sheath.

Addam put a hand on Mythra’s shoulder and slowly shook his head. He had a stern look in his eye. She looked away and frowned, but a moment later de-manifested her sword. Haze released her hold on the pair of Blades, and Mythra nearly collapsed. Addam caught her and pulled her to her feet.

“My apologies.” Addam said. “I didn’t wish to reunite under such circumstances.”

“Nonsense.” The man said. “It’s good to see you again, Prince Addam. Please forgive the actions of my guards.”

“Don’t you worry about it. I’m just glad to see you’re well, Your Majesty.”

“Majesty?” Lora asked.

“Gah! Where are my manners?” Addam stepped aside and motioned at the man. “May I introduce the Emperor of Mor Ardain, Hugo Ardanach.”

“Color me surprised.” Lora said.

“What’s someone of his station doing out here?” Jin asked, still not lowering his sword.

“You know, our stations are somewhat similar.” Addam said.

“Not that you’d ever know.” Mythra sighed. She seemed to be back to her regular self.

“Thanks!” Addam smiled. “I try.”

“We’re after the Aegis, actually.” The Emperor said. “His minions attacked Mor Ardain. They wiped out the Chansagh Province before we could drive them off. We’re currently chasing him down, though we’ve had little luck.”

“The same as us, then.” Addam nodded. “But coming here yourself?”

“My brother is ruling in my absence. I suppose he’s getting what he always wanted.”

“Well, not everything. He doesn’t wield the power of the Crown Jewels of Mor Ardain.”

“Crown Jewels?” Lora asked.

“My Blades.” The Emperor said. “The hasty one is Brighid, and this here is Aegaeon. The strongest Blades in the Empire, though I’ve never had much cause to test the claim.”

“We will not let you down, Your Majesty.” Aegaeon said.

“I should hope not. Much more than my life rides on your abilities. If we cannot defeat Malos… I shudder to think what will become of Alrest.”

“Royalty concerned about the common folk.” Mythra said. “You two really are alike.”

“It is my duty to put myself on the line for my people. And besides which, I never enjoyed wielding authority in the first place.”

“I feel the same way.” Addam nodded. “I don’t get why anyone would want to sit on a throne. Ruling is a scary thought. I can’t imagine it, becoming someone I don’t even recognize.”

“Welcome to every day of my life.” The Emperor sighed. “That isn’t a sentiment you should be expressing so loudly. What if Prince Zettar knew?”

“Right.” Addam hung his head. “Let’s… pretend you didn’t hear me say that.”

“Just like old times.” The Emperor laughed. “I’d be happy if you called me Hugo, then. The formality doesn’t suit you.”

“Of course, dear Hugo.” Addam gave an exaggerated bow. “But only if you call me Addam in return.”

“Are you two done reminiscing?” Jin asked. “We came her to find Malos, remember?”

“Right. It would be beneficial to share our findings. But perhaps elsewhere might be better?”

“Your Majesty’s flagship would serve well.” Aegaeon said.

“Flagship…” Lora sighed.

“Is something the matter, lady Lora?” Haze asked.

“I don’t deal well in that kind of stuffy environment.” She glanced back up the hill at her mother’s grave. “I think I’ll sit this particular venture out.”

“Well you’re not alone there.” Mythra said. “I’m out too.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Addam said, grabbing Mythra’s arm as she turned around. She sighed and turned back around to face Hugo.

“Wait a minute…” Hugo muttered. “Is that her?”

“I completely forgot the introductions.” Addam smacked his own forehead. “This is Mythra, one of the Aegises.” Mythra turned her nose up at both of them but didn’t attempt to leave again. “And my companion here is Lora. She and her Blades agreed to help us track down Malos. Why don’t you join us too, Lora? I think your account would be valuable.”

“Everything I’ve seen or heard, Jin will know as well.” Lora said.

“Y-yes.” Jin stammered. “That’s true, but-”

“I’ll stay behind.” Haze said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Very well.” Jin frowned. “I will do as you wish.”

-

“How sure are you it was the Coeians?” Addam asked. He, Mythra, Jin, and Hugo all stood around a large map of Alrest in the heart of an Ardainian flagship moored just between Candoris’s eye stalks. Mikhail and Milton had run off to explore the ship, and Brighid followed to keep them out of trouble, so only Aegaeon stood guard at the door.

“The garrison stationed here was left without orders when Malos sunk their homeland.” Hugo said. “Initially they tried to help resettle some of the refugees, but eventually one of the higher ups got the idea that Candoris would make a good place to begin rebuilding their kingdom. So they set about conquering villages. They’ve carved themselves a sizeable plot of land further up on Candoris’s back. My men have been trying to disarm them and establish some kind of peace for nearly six months, but… Well, you saw the village.”

“The powers-that-be bicker among themselves, ignoring the larger danger.” Addam shook his head.

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Mythra said. Addam chose to ignore her comment.

“Right now, that’s the one thing we cannot afford.” Hugo said. Just as he was about to continue, a nearby speaker crackled to life.

“Patrol’s arrived, Your Majesty.” The voice on the other end spoke. “The one you sent out this morning.”

“They shouldn’t be back yet.” Hugo muttered. “Aegaeon, talk to the Special Inquisitor and find out what’s going on.”

“Of course.” Aegaeon bowed and left the room.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious. While we’re on the subject of powers that be, how has Torna been fairing?”

“I’d like to tell you that the people bask in the peace of His Majesty’s rule.” Addam sighed. “But I’m afraid that would be a lie. Torna has not escaped Malos’s rampage unscathed.”

“The same as everywhere else, then.” Hugo nodded. “Were we not so caught up here, I’d offer the Imperial Army’s assistance. But we’re stretched thin as it is.”

“Don’t worry about it. Indol entrusted Mythra to me for a reason, remember?”

-

“So you came.” The Quaestor said, turning around to face Addam. They stood in the middle of a great amphitheater on Uraya’s back. “The future king of Torna. I’m glad I thought to send a messenger.”

“King?” Addam asked. “Don’t joke about it. Rumors like that could cause trouble at home.”

“I am merely a Quaestor.” The man laughed. There was no humor in it. “I hold no such influence. You on the other hand…” He looked over Addam’s shoulder at the crowd of people behind him. “You’ve gathered a sizeable army of Drivers to oppose Malos.”

“Someone’s got to.” Addam shrugged. “Even the Titans are pitching in. People aren’t going to just roll over and accept this.”

“Good.” The Quaestor reached into his cloak and pulled out a crystal. It was just like the Core Crystal Addam had seen glowing in Malos’s chest, except green instead of purple. “Then perhaps you’d be able to make use of this.”

“Its color is different.” Addam noted. “But… Is this what I think it is?”

“The second Aegis, I suppose. I found it in the same place I found Malos’s core. It could be the key to defeating him.”

“And you’re giving it to me?”

“I couldn’t control Malos. I shouldn’t attempt that foolishness twice. But I’m hoping you’re different. We only have one shot at stopping him before he wipes us out, and this is it.” He pressed the core into Addam’s hand.

“That’s a heavy burden, being humanity’s savior.”

“Preferable to annihilation, I should think.” The Quaestor said. “Now, don’t keep us waiting. Awaken it. I’d like to meet the Blade that will rectify my mistake face to face.”

-

“Indol?” Hugo asked. “I knew the Aegises were rumored to come from the World Tree, but Malos’s Driver is Indoline?”

“A rather milquetoast Quaestor of the Praetorium.” Addam nodded. “His Blade proved too powerful for him and rampaged out of control. It’s not difficult to see why they’d want to keep that quiet. The Praetorium has even decided to support my militia, but everything they send us is routed through Argentum for deniability.”

“And then toward you. But surely if you defeat Malos, their cover will be blown.”

“If, indeed.” Addam laughed. “But that’s hardly our problem, is it? Once we’re done, I’ll just plow my fields in peace.”

“Your Majesty.” Aegaeon’s voice crackled over the speaker. “It seems our men encountered a group of mercenaries during their patrol. They were a rathe large group, attempting to move covertly, but our forces managed to route them. They fled in the direction of the village outskirts, but we had too many injured to pursue.”

“Why there?” Addam asked. “There’s nothing left there but graveyards and-”

Jin’s eyes went wide. He tore out of the room before Addam could finish.

“What’s gotten into him?” Mythra asked.

“Lora.” Addam said. Without another word, he ran after Jin.

-

Lora and Haze stood back on the hill, in front of her mother’s grave. Lora bent down and draped the necklace back over the marker.

“My lady?” Haze asked.

“I made it for her.” Lora said. “So I’d like her to keep it.”

“Well now!” A voice cackled across the hillside. Lora and Haze turned to see the one-armed man, surrounded by more than a dozen mercenaries. “The bitch is dead, is she? Shame. I had a soft spot for her.” Lora narrowed her gaze and spun her rope around, eyes tracking their movements. “Guess you learned how to use a weapon, at least. Big change from a tiny kid tryin’ not to piss ‘erself in fear.”

“Gort.” Lora spat.

“You remember me? How touching.”

“A face that ugly, I couldn’t forget. Trust me, I tried.”

“I see you’re still a pain in the ass.”

“What do you want? Not that I can’t imagine.”

“I’m here to take back what’s mine, kid. But before that…” Gort smirked. He began clicking the bladed fingers of his prosthetic hand together. “I’ll take a bit o’ time to express my gratitude to ya. It ain’t gonna be pretty or quick. Then I’ll make that Blade watch as I cut you into little, sticky chunks, just to make sure the last thing he feels is complete despair.”

“I’ll hold them up.” Haze said, extending her staff. “You get to the others, quickly.”

“No use.” Lora said. “He didn’t bring any Drivers. Just regular mercs. He knew about you.”

“Guilty as charged!” Gort beamed. “We had more, but we got into a tussle with the Ardainians before we arrived, so we had to leave ‘em behind! But don’t worry! We’ve still got plenty fight left! I’ll treat you real good ‘fore I get to the cuttin’!”

-

Jin cut across the landscape. He ran as fast as he could with his power. It wasn’t much of a boost, but every second he bought mattered. When he arrived in the village, he heard a voice that caught him off guard for a moment.

“You’re starting to piss me off!” Gort howled.

“My lady, you have to run!” Haze shouted. She struck one of the mercenaries across the face with her staff, but he didn’t stay down for long.

“No need!” Jin shouted, his voice almost a growl. He was up the hillside before anyone could react, his sword plunged into the shoulder of the mercenary closest to Lora. A ball of ice formed in his open palm, firing a dozen spikes out at the other mercs. He jumped off his perch and shot through the crowd, slicing the heads off the weapons of anyone who didn’t stay down after his initial attack.

“You bastard!” Gort shouted. A blade extended from his prosthetic arm and he ran forward, aiming for Lora’s heart.

“No!” Jin swung his sword. In one swift motion, a blade of ice cut through both of Gort’s arms, severing them instantly. He collapsed to the ground screaming. He tried to scramble away from Jin, but the man planted a foot on his chest.

“Had enough?” He asked. “Or should I take something else? Right leg, maybe? Or the left? Or how about…?” He slid his sword along the ground and placed it against Gort’s neck. The man began to whimper. Jin raised his sword over his head and swung.

“Enough.” Lora said. Jin stopped mid swing, just before cleaving Gort’s skull in two. He looked back at her. “That’s enough, Jin. Just leave him.”

Reluctantly, Jin put his sword away and took his foot off Gort’s chest. Instantly the man scrambled to his feet, flailing his arm stubs as he ran. The other mercenaries quickly scattered. Straight into a line of Ardainian troops. Hugo directed a squadron to give chase to Gort as he fled while the others detained the mercenaries.

“So you let him go?” Addam asked, standing behind Hugo. “Even without his arms, he may cause you more trouble one day.”

“I didn’t want to end it here.” Lora said, taking one last look back at her mother’s grave. “He might deserve it, but… He took care of my mother, when I was little.”

“I see.” Jin said. He didn’t, but he knew better than to say that in front of Lora.

“Lets go back, then, shall we?” Haze asked.

“Indeed.” Lora said. “I suppose I can bring myself to set foot on this flagship after all.”

-

“My arms!” Gort shouted, running through the Candorisian underbrush. “My arms! Those bastards! I’ll kill ‘em! Every last one of ‘em!”

As he ran, his foot caught on a root. He fell face first into the dirt. When he looked up, a group of men clad in all white stood over him. They wore bronze masks and carried oversized polearms. In the center of them was his employer, a young Indoline man.

“Wh-what’s this?” Gort stammered as the man reached out his hand. “It’s only a t-temporary setback, I swear!”

“No.” The man said. “It isn’t. I have no more need of your services.” He placed his hand against Gort’s forehead. The armless man began to scream, louder than he had before. He twisted for a moment, all his muscles spasming, before lying still. The masked men collected his body as the Indoline stood up.

-

They were halfway back to the flagship when the first impact hit. A bright flash of purple cut across the horizon and struck one of Candoris’s legs, blowing off half of the joint in a single strike. Sirens began to blare from the flagship as a dozen more rained down across the Titan’s back.

“He’s here.” Addam said, breaking into a run.

“I’ll mobilize our fleet!” Hugo shouted. “If we can isolate him, we should be able to-”

“No!” Mythra shouted. “Engage the Gargoyles, but have your men steer clear of Malos! You and your men can’t stop him!”

“If we don’t fight now, then-”

“Those blasts were from his Siren! He intends to sink this place! You’d do more good evacuating civilians than trying to engage a monster like that!” As she shouted, a large white figure descended from the sky. She jumped and caught its outstretched hand, hauling herself up. “I’ll try to buy some time!” Without waiting for a reply, the figure took off in the direction of the explosions.

In the distance, Mythra could see a cloud of Gargoyles approaching Candoris. Some had already arrived. The Ardainian fleet were scrambling to mobilize, but some of the smaller Titan ships had already been destroyed. Another group of Titans, some bearing the symbol of the Urayan Self-Defense Force and some bearing no symbol at all, approached from Candoris’s back. A small army of humans and Blades rode on their backs, and Azurda led their formation. The militia. They began to engage Gargoyles across the Titan, dropping groups of Drivers and Blades off wherever a pack seemed to be targeting.

Elsewhere on the Titan, the remains of the Coeian fleet took to the skies, unmooring from a large, fortified port city nestled between two of Candoris’s legs. Two stray shots from Malos’s Siren cleaved through most of the city in a single strike.

The Artifice in question hung in the air above the center of Candoris. He fired a constant beam of energy downward, slowly eating into the Titan’s hide. Mythra had her Siren fire a blast of energy into the stream. The two beams contorted and repelled each other, creating an explosion that leveled most of the forest below. Malos’s Siren stopped firing as Mythra drew close.

“Partner.” He said, standing atop his Siren’s shoulder. “Doing this one out of our Sirens, are we? You know, you left me feeling cold after our fight over Sthenos. I’ve been itching to meet you face to-”

“Shut up.” Mythra spat. Her Siren fired two blasts at Malos. He maneuvered out of the way, and they struck one of Candoris’s legs behind him.

“That’s a nasty trigger finger you’ve got there.” Malos smirked. “I guess we’re alike, in that regard.”

“I said shut up!” Mythra shouted. She manifested her sword and leapt at Malos. He did the same, colliding with her in midair. They fell to the ground as their Sirens began clashing with each other above. Mythra slowed her fall with a constant stream of ether, but Malos simply hit the ground hard. He smiled as he stood up and unleashed a blast of dark ether at Mythra. She blocked it with a shield and returned fire. The two exchanged blows like that for some time while their Sirens continued to rain down bolts of energy on their surroundings.

“Let’s speed things up, shall we?” Malos asked. He tore the core out of his weapon and compressed a massive cloud of dark ether into it. Satisfied, he tossed it into the hole he’d made earlier, where the ether began to stream out. “I give that about five minutes before it eats through to the Titan’s core. Think you can stop me before then? All by yourself?”

“You’re not the only one with help, Malos.” Mythra smirked. A roar echoed across Candoris, and Ophion broke through the surface of the Cloud Sea. It soared over Candoris’s back and fired a blast of energy at Malos’s Siren. Kept aloft by hundreds of glowing pads along its length, it continued to snake through the air, chasing Malos’s Artifice. Mythra’s Siren kept up its assault, and the volleys the three exchanged intensified. Explosions rippled across Candoris’s back just from the stray fire.

Mythra charged Malos, screaming, and he compressed a mass of dark ether into a loose pair of gauntlets. He blocked Mythra’s incoming swing with one hand and lunged for her head with another. She wrapped an ether shield around his hand, and he broke through it nearly instantly. Startled, she jumped back.

“Didn’t see that one coming, did you?” Malos smirked. “Don’t let that deter you! Give it all you’ve got!”

Mythra adjusted her stance and examined Malos for a moment. Not quite what she’d expected, but the concerning thing was his movements. She couldn’t predict them at all. This was going to be a long fight.

-

“Addam!” Azurda bellowed, swooping down next to the prince. “Where’s Mythra?!”

“Engaging Malos!” Addam shouted back. “Alone! What are you doing here?”

“We got wind that Malos was planning an attack on Candoris! We’ve got Drivers defending the legs to keep Malos’s Gargoyles from severing them, and as long as the Titan stays standing, we’ve got a shot at killing him!”

“Not if Mythra sinks it first!” Lora shouted, ducking low as Ophion chased Malos’s Siren overhead. “What are those things?”

“I wish I knew!” Addam shouted. “Mythra calls them Artifices! They seem to obey the Aegises, but as for what they really are…” He shrugged. “They pack a punch though! Enough that those three will probably destroy Candoris if this keeps up!”

“Can you get us to her?” Azurda asked.

“I can feel her resonating deeper into the forest!” Addam replied. “If we can get Haze close enough, then maybe we can end all this madness for good!”

“I’ll give it my best shot!” Haze said.

“I’ll take you!” Azurda lowered a wing for the others to climb on. “We don’t have a moment to lose!”

-

Mythra jumped back as a blast from Siren struck the ground where Malos had been a moment before. He descended in a frenzy, aiming to strike her in the head. He cackled even as she deflected the blow. The light coming from the hole had grown more intense. Larger waves of ether flew out of it with every passing second.

The cackling stopped as green ether wrapped itself around both their cores. Malos fell to his knees, and Mythra stood still, a grimace plastered across her face. She looked up to see Azurda descending, Addam and Lora on his back. Haze was there too, her staff held aloft and restricting the pair of Aegises. Mythra found it slightly easier to move than las time, but her connection to her Artifices was nonetheless interrupted.

“The hell is this?” Malos spat. “What did you do, you bitch?”

“Not me.” Mythra grunted. “Looks like you’ve got more enemies than you bargained for.”

“Mythra!” Addam shouted, jumping off Azurda’s back. “Call Siren off!”

“I can’t!” Mythra shouted back. “Now tell Haze to quit restricting me before one of my Artifices does something incredibly stupid!” As if to punctuate her statement, Ophion crashed into one of Candoris’s legs, severing it entirely. The Titan cried out and lurched forward. The sudden movement threw everyone off their feet. For a moment, Haze lost her concentration.

In that moment, Malos acted. His Siren broke from fighting Mythra’s and rushed over to him. It fired a single blast into the hole it had made earlier. The blast struck his sword’s core and vaporized it instantly. The power bound up in it burst forth all at once. It expanded, eating into Candoris’s shell. Mythra and Addam scrambled back onto Azurda’s back before the explosion could reach them, but it kept growing unchecked. Eventually it touched the Titan’s core. In that instant, Candoris let out a wail and its legs went limp. It began sinking into the Cloud Sea.

“Well.” Malos smirked, standing on his Siren and hovering over the massive hole he’d punctured in the Titan. “That was a bit larger than I’d expected. Still, not a terribly efficient use of energy. What do you think, Mythra?”

Ophion leapt up from where it had fallen and fired a volley of energy bursts at Malos. Mythra’s Siren shot up from the Cloud Sea and did the same. He managed to avoid the worst of them and block the rest with an ether shield, but before he could retaliate Haze began restricting him again.

“That’s about the most annoying gimmick I’ve seen yet.” He spat. Barely able to move, he began dragging himself to Siren’s core, where his body began to dematerialize. “I’m bored of it already!” He fully compressed himself into Siren’s core, out of reach of Haze’s ether, and took to the skies. All around the dying Titan, his Gargoyles took off and followed him. Less than half the number he’d arrived with, but he’d accomplished his goal. Ophion surged over Candoris and swam after Malos, but Siren stayed behind, flying next to Azurda.

The remains of the Ardainian fleet scrambled to dispatch lifeboats across the Titan, and the forces Azurda arrived with did the same. No one said a word as he carried Addam and the others down to Hugo’s flagship. They waited in silence as Siren returned to the skies, slowly watching Candoris sink into the Cloud Sea.

-

“With every battle, we cull dozens of his Gargoyles.” Gwynn said, delivering a somber report to Addam from Azurda’s back. “But it never seems to make a dent. He had more forces here than in Temperantia. We lost fourteen Drivers in this battle, and eight of their Blades were irrecoverable. We’re hoping to have more success against Bar-Yuchnei in Genbu, but… Malos will strike out like this again. What’s your plan?”

“For now, we consolidate our forces.” Addam said. “Candoris is the second continent he’s sank in the last year. Judging by that pace, we’ll have a little time to think up a strategy to counter him more effectively before he shows up again.”

“Mor Ardain is willing to provide the full support of our military to the militia’s efforts.” Hugo said. “And, from what I hear, the king of Uraya has already done the same.”

“There’s little to be done unless you can get Mythra to focus.” Azurda said. “Until she can fight Malos without stooping to his level, the militia’s efforts will be better spent against his other Artifices.”

“I agree.” Addam said, glancing over at Mythra. She’d been quiet during the whole meeting. No one had told her how many lives were lost in the crossfire between her Siren and Malos’s, but she could guess.

“We’ll be off, then.” Gwynn said. “Safe travels.” Azurda took off from the deck of the flagship, flying up to join the fleet of militia Titans already on the move toward Genbu.

“I’m glad to see your forces are in capable hands.” Hugo said. “In the meantime, where should we be heading?”

“Torna.” Addam said. “The Province of Aletta. We’ll need somewhere to resettle all these refugees. And it’ll be a good chance to check in on the rest of the militia.”

“This militia…” Lora said. “You’re the head of an army?”

“A lot of people have lost their homes or their families to Malos. Many wanted to fight back. Some were even Drivers. I just gave them a chance.”

“Aletta it is, then.” Hugo said.

“I’ll inform the captain.” Aegaeon said, giving a bow before running off into the ship. The others dispersed soon after, Hugo and Brighid heading for the bridge while Mythra floated up to the Titan’s head to sulk. Lora was about to head inside with Haze and Jin when she noticed Addam staring out over the Cloud Sea.

“This isn’t like you.” She said, leaning on the railing next to him. Jin almost walked back out to join her, but Haze stopped him.

“You think so?” Addam asked.

“Yes. You usually always know what to do. You’re never lost.”

“I wish that really were the case.” He sighed. “To tell the truth, I’m always second guessing myself. Ever since I became Mythra’s Driver, anyway.”

“It didn’t seem that way at all.”

“Power lends one an air of capability.” He shrugged. “Even moreso when it comes from the Aegis. But I can’t afford not to worry. You’ve seen what she can do. She could have sunk Candoris on her own. Probably would have, if we didn’t stop her. She doesn’t mean to, but… I don’t think she knows how to hold back.”

“Is that why you’re away from the militia?” Lora asked. “Why they didn’t want to stick around their leader?”

“As I am, I am not in full control of Mythra’s power. Scores of soldiers could die by my hand… Gwynn wouldn’t give me specifics, but we did lose some people to the fighting between the Artifices today. It frightens me, that power to so casually take life. And this… cataclysm that is Malos. It’s all because his Driver was unable to control him. I often wonder if I too will lose control.”

“I think she’s well aware. Just not so comfortable saying it.”

“That’s your analysis?”

“Well, I have been with Jin, the “Paragon of Torna”, for seventeen years. I can roughly tell how much of their strength a Blade is using just by watching them. Against us, and against Brighid, she made sure- No, she held herself back to make sure she doesn’t go that way. Deep down, I think she’s very kind.”

“That just means I’m not good enough.”

“Don’t think that way.” Lora punched him in the arm. “You’ll get used to it, little by little. I was the same.”

“If only time would slow down and afford me the chance.” Addam sighed. From inside the doorway, Jin smiled. He and Haze went inside, leaving the pair to stare out at the Cloud Sea in silence.


	6. Chapter 5 - Masters and Slaves

Addam stood in the middle of a field, crossing weapons with Lora. Mythra’s sword against Haze’s staff. Every strike one of them attempted, the other would swiftly block. They were locked in a stalemate. Despite how little progress he’d made, Addam’s grin was as wide as ever.

“Amazing, Lora!” He exclaimed. “Even when I foresee your movements, you counter me instantly!”

“You should thank Haze for that one.” Lora smirked. “My success here is thanks to her power, after all.”

“Not entirely. Restricting my foresight wouldn’t do you any good without the skill to match me in combat.”

“Why don’t we take the kid gloves off then? How about you start using Mythra’s other abilities?”

“Oh? And what if we did?”

“Then I’d bring out my original Blade.” Lora and Addam’s weapons collided once again, and Addam’s grin widened. They each retreated for a moment, preparing for another round of attacks.

“Master Addam.” Jin said, cutting their match short. He and Mikhail had approached during their last round. “If you’re done for the day, the evening meal is ready. Milton’s bringing it to the mess now.”

“Is it that time already?” Addam asked, sheathing Mythra’s sword.

“Come on then.” Haze said. “Let’s eat while the food’s hot.” Her, Lora, Addam, and Mythra all followed Jin and the boy back into the camp’s mess, where the soup was ready for them. Milton began apportioning it out into bowls as they all sat down.

“Oh, finished already?” Brighid asked as they entered. She stood from where she was sitting and joined them as they began to eat. “That’s a shame. I was hoping to join in on the fun.”

“By yourself?” Mythra asked.

“His Majesty has many pressing matters to attend to. I’m used to working alone.”

“A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul.” Mythra said. “That’s their very nature. Haze and Lora are stronger together than apart. Addam and I are as well. You’re not at full strength without Hugo.”

“It’s not so simple as all that.” Addam shook his head. “You have power I’ve yet to unlock. In a certain sense, I’m the one holding you back.”

“Don’t say that. I’ve been giving it my all, and so have you.”

“And yet you never stop growing. Though I do feel we made some progress today, thanks in no small part to you, Haze. Your ability will be indispensable for further training.”

“You honor me too much.” She replied, her cheeks nearly burning as bright as her diamond-shaped Core Crystal. “I’m just happy to help you both however I can.”

“You know…” Mythra said, motioning between Haze and Lora. “Next to each other like that, you two really do look like twins.”

“It’s rare for the Driver’s nature to appear so strongly in their Blade.” Brighid commented.

“People tell me that from time to time.” Lora said, studying Haze’s face. “But is it really true?”

“It’s a shame your nature couldn’t have appeared more strongly in your other Blade.” Addam said, glancing at Jin. “I’d very much like to spar with you two sometime.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.” Jin said. “I don’t particularly enjoy fighting.”

“And to think we’re hearing that from the strongest man in Torna.”

“My Lord! My Lady!” A soldier shouted, running up to Addam and Mythra and taking a knee. “We’ve received word from Indol! Malos is on the move! His target is the capital!”

-

“You’re joking, right?” Rex asked. “What would the Praetor want with me?”

“The Praetorium manages every Driver and Blade in Alrest.” Fan responded. “And as you are the Driver of the Aegis…”

“The Praetorium wants that power for itself.” Mòrag concluded.

“Not at all, my lady. The Praetor simply wishes to meet his fellow Aegis Driver.”

“His fellow…” Rex thought for a moment. “You don’t mean-”

“Indeed.” Fan nodded. “Praetor Amalthus is Malos’s Driver. But there is another matter as well. I believe you currently have a certain dagger in your possession?”

“You… Know about that?”

“I can sense its energy. The Praetor is its original owner, after all.”

“So the Praetor is Cole’s Driver as well?” Nia asked. “Come off it – Just how old is he?!”

“This is Indol.” Mòrag shrugged. “They are naturally long-lived.”

“From what I hear, Praetor Amalthus has lived particularly long, even for an Indoline.” Dromarch said.

“So Amalthus is Praetor now?” Mythra asked. “Figures he’s still alive. At least we won’t have to go searching for him.”

“You’re all looking for the Praetor?” Fan asked.

“We have some questions we need to ask him, actually.” Nia said. “About how to get to the World Tree.”

“This is splendid! We should leave right away! Best not to keep the Praetor waiting.”

“Hold up.” Rex shook his head. “This is too good to be true.”

“I understand your hesitance.” Nia said. “But we’re looking for the guy already. I say we go for it. What about you, Mythra?”

“I have some questions for him.” She sighed. “About what happened after I was sealed away, among other things.”

“If Mythra says so.” Rex shrugged. “We’ll come with you to meet the Praetor.”

“Excellent.” Mòrag said. “When do we leave?”

“Forgive me, Lady Mòrag.” Fan responded. “I was not aware you would be accompanying the Aegis.”

“Don’t you have better things to do than keep tabs on us?” Nia asked. “What about-” She turned around to motion to Bana, only to realize that he’d disappeared in the commotion. “Great, he’s disappeared again.”

“Niranira can handle Bana.” Mòrag commented. “Finding people is his specialty, after all.”

“Don’t want to let the Aegis out of your sight, is that it?”

“You all give yourselves too much credit. This morning, His Majesty asked me to handle a sensitive situation that has developed in Indol. I merely wish to accompany you out of convenience.”

“Like I’m going to buy an excuse like that.”

“If Nia’s not comfortable with it, then I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” Rex said. “The two of you aren’t on the best of terms as it is. Maybe you should travel separately.”

“My lady.” Dromarch said, nudging his head against Nia’s hip. “A word, if I may?” The two of them stepped away from the group, and Nia crouched down next to Dromarch’s head.

“Mòrag is a formidable opponent.” Dromarch continued in a whisper. “I feel it would be more prudent to stay her ally, as opposed to instigating further conflict.”

“I’m not worried about taking her in a fight.” Nia whispered back. “But if she starts looking into our past more closely, she’s bound to put it together eventually. On top of that, we’re already going to Indol. If someone finds out now, it’ll mean the end for us both.”

“Precisely why we should keep her nearby. We can keep her from learning the truth, or at least stop her from spreading it if she does. And the more variables we can control, the less likely it will be that Indol catches on.”

“You’re right.” Nia sighed. “Much as I hate to admit it.”

“What friends talk about?” Tora asked.

“Dromarch’s pleading Mòrag’s case.” Nia said, standing back up and rejoining the group. “And he’s right. At this point, we can’t afford to be making enemies. So, Special Inquisitor. Welcome Aboard.”

-

That night Fan la Norne stood on the deck of a dragon-shaped Titan ship carrying Rex and the others to Indol. She stood alone, staring out at the Cloud Sea. As the night went on, however, she had a visitor.

“Haze.” Mythra said, approaching Fan from behind.

“Lady Mythra?” Fan asked. “What are you doing out so late? Can’t you sleep?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I suppose. I just think the view of the stars from here is quite beautiful. The night can be quite bitter, though. Please don’t catch a cold.”

“We’re Blades, Haze.” Mythra chuckled. “We don’t exactly catch colds.”

“Haze? I’m afraid you have me mistaken. I am Fan la Norne, Blade to Praetor Amalthus.”

“Right.” Mythra’s eyes narrowed on Fan’s triangular Core Crystal. “Sorry, my mistake. You just remind me of someone I know. Or used to know, I guess.” The two of them stood in silence for a moment. “It is rather cold, after all. I think I’ll go back to my room.”

“Good night, Lady Mythra.” Fan bowed.

“Good night, Fan.” Mythra turned and walked back to her room. She hadn’t even made it to the door before Pyra began talking.

“Did you notice too?” She asked, her voice echoing inside Mythra’s head. “Her Core Crystal’s shape has changed, but…”

“But it’s still Haze.” Mythra sighed. “Her Core isn’t resonating normally, though. And it isn’t split like with us and Rex, near as I could tell. One more question for the Praetor, I guess.”

“Let’s switch. Give you some time to think.”

“Appreciated.” Mythra said, giving control back to Pyra. She walked back into the women’s quarters to find Nia at the door.

“Going somewhere?” Pyra asked. “At this time of night?”

“The roof.” Nia said, shooting a glance at Brighid and Mòrag sitting on adjacent beds. “Can’t sleep here.”

“Does my presence offend you in some way?” Brighid asked.

“Offend? No. But my family and I were in White Chair when the invasion began. My sister died when you burned the hospital down. And my father died with your sword in his chest.”

“I’m sorry for what happened to your family. I can’t change what I did as Empress Liùsaidh’s Blade, but, for what it’s worth, I’m not that person anymore.”

“Yeah, but you still look like her.”

“Clearly our presence here is distressing you.” Mòrag said. “If the situation was going to be this uncomfortable for you, you simply needed to say so from the start. I would have procured separate transportation were that the case.”

“I already said it’s fine. I’d rather you be here with us than be out there against us. And besides, you’ve got your reasons for being here. Far be it for me to stop you. But I’m still not sleeping next to you.”

“We’re willing to overlook what you’ve done in your past. Can you not extend us the same courtesy? We’ll be travelling together for the foreseeable future, it’d be a waste to spend all that time glaring at each other.”

“I can forgive. Or I can try, at least. But much as I’d like to, I can’t forget. So I’m not trying to be rude, but I’m not going to get any sleep with the two of you around. I’ll see you in the morning.” With that, Nia ducked out of the room and walked off into the night.

-

“Is it working?” Malos asked, approaching Jin as he gazed at the Core Crystals lining the room’s walls.

“Yes.” Jin replied. “I can hear the Blades’ voices now.”

“Good news, I presume.” Akhos said, walking into the room behind Malos. “I’ve got some interesting tidbits to share as well. Care to take a look?” He walked over to a console in front of the slab of ice holding Lora’s body and pressed a few buttons. The image of a great scarab-shaped Titan surrounded by a blackened, rocky wasteland was projected into the air above them.

“Temperantia.” Malos whistled. “I always did regret not attending to that one myself.”

“Rumor had it that Mor Ardain were conducting an excavation there.”

“And they found a Judicium Titan weapon.” Jin said, studying the projection of the Titan.

“I know that name…” Akhos muttered. “They created the first Flesh Eaters, right?”

“Before their hubris destroyed them.” Malos replied. “Temperantia was a wasteland long before I was awakened. But their firepower’s the real deal, alright. What should we do about it?”

“If it’s a treat to us, it should be destroyed.” Jin said. “But we could make use of it.”

“Damn it all!” Patroka shouted as she and Mikhail entered the room. “I can’t believe this!”

“Hello Patroka.” Akhos smiled. “A very good day to you too. What’s got you all riled up? Did the Nopon run out on us?”

“No, we got the goods.” Mikhail sighed. “And the Nopon, too.”

“Why the temper tantrum?”

“That bitch killed Perdido!” Patroka slammed her foot into a nearby console. “I’ll make her pay!”

“We ran into the Aegis.” Mikhail explained. “Had it under control until she killed our Blades. Then Haze of all people showed up. Long story short, we had to make a run for it.”

“Haze?” Akhos asked. “I’m not familiar with this person.”

“A female Blade from Torna.” Malos commented. “One of Jin’s former comrades.”

“Only she’s with Indol now.” Mikhail continued. “We’ve run into her before, but she was different this time. Amalthus must have…” He trailed off as Jin looked past him at Lora. “Jin?”

“How goes work on the Marsanes?” Jin asked.

“We’ll get there soon. Why?”

“Akhos, where’s the Aegis right now?”

“Give me a moment.” He muttered, pressing more buttons on the console. “Takes longer without Obrona here. But…” He studied the ether map in front of him for a moment. “Looks like they’re near the Leftherian Archipelago. Moving fast, probably on a Titan ship. If I had to guess, I’d say they’re bound for Indol.”

“Alright.” Jin turned and began heading for the door.

“Where-”

“Temperantia.” He replied.

“What about the Aegis?” Patroka asked. “If that man gets into her head, then-”

“Not happening.” Malos smirked. “That’s not how Mythra works. In fact, this might help us. We need her to open the path to the World Tree.”

“But we need the assets from the Guild up and running before then.” Jin continued. “Patroka, Akhos, stay here and help Mikhail work on the latest shipment. See if you can’t get the Nopon to assist you. I’ll go to Temperantia. A Titan weapon should keep the Aegis occupied long enough for you to finish.”

-

As dawn broke, the Indoline Titan ship approached the Cloud Ridge, a sheer wall of clouds that fed the entire Cloud Sea. It spilled down from the World Tree’s furthest reaching branch. Floating around the ridge were several dozen Titans resembling giant jellyfish, all interconnected by stringy tendrils to tunnels in the side of a much larger Titan lurking within the ridge.

“Amazing…” Tora muttered as the ship pulled into a port on the closest Titan. “It look like mountain of clouds.”

“The Leftherian Archipelago.” Fan explained. “Indol is currently positioned beyond the Cloud Ridge. It would take quite some time to sail around, so we’ll be traveling over land from here.”

“I suppose not even a Titan ship could surpass such an obstacle.” Dromarch observed.

“If we have to walk, we’d best get moving.” Mòrag said, stepping off the ship and onto the sandy beach of the Leftherian Titan’s back.

“Do we have to stop here?” Rex asked as the rest followed her.

“Not eager to see Fonsett again?” Gramps asked. “It’s nearly been a year, I say another visit’s long overdue.”

“Rex, have you been here before?” Pyra asked.

“I…” He paused for a moment. “I grew up here. Gramps and I are from Fonsett Village on the other side of the ridge. Fan, where’re we meeting the next Titan ship?”

“The delegation will meet us at Ysheva harbor.” She replied. “Though they’re not supposed to be arriving until tomorrow morning. We left Mor Ardain a tad ahead of schedule.”

“How about you guide us, then?” Nia asked, turning to Rex. “You’re from around here, I’m sure you know how to get there.”

“Let me think…” Rex muttered. “If we’re going to Ysheva, the quickest route would be the Lud Cloudway.”

“How about Fonsett?” Pyra suggested. “Will we pass through it?”

“No.” Rex shook his head. “It’d take longer, I’d wager. Best we take the Lud.”

“I don’t know…” Gramps mused. “Going through Fonsett would be the safest route to Ysheva. And besides, arriving sooner won’t make the delegation come any quicker.”

“Let’s do it!” Pyra exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “Let’s visit your village!”

“Someone’s rather excitable.” Dromarch chuckled.

“Don’t you want to see the place where Rex grew up?”

“I’m mildly curious.” Nia replied. “But I’m not getting my ears in a twist.”

“Poppi say we go.” Poppi announced. “Not every day Poppi get to see place where friends come from.”

“Fine.” Rex sighed. “I’ll need a minute to get my bearings.” He began walking away from the harbor and up a nearby tendril connecting to a much larger Titan above them. “If we are where I think we are, though, we’ll need to take the Orl Cloudway. Easiest way there would be…” Rex trailed off as he set foot on the larger Titan. He stood in the middle of the walkway as the others clustered around him, staring out at the landscape on the Titan’s back.

“Rex?” Pyra asked. “Are you alright?” She began looking around herself and noticed the burnt husks of several wooden buildings clustered near the center.

“Yeah.” He muttered, resuming his pace. “Just… forgot where we were for a moment.” He began to lead the others toward the Cloud Ridge, trying his best to hide the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

-

In a far-flung corner of Temperantia, a garrison of Ardainian troops stood watch over their latest excavation: a Judicium Titan Weapon. The scarab-like beast towered over their camp, its metal-plated, weapon-mounted thorax rising high above the tallest remaining peaks of the Temperantian wasteland.

“Very impressive.” An Ardainian man in his late seventies announced, studying the latest report.

“We’ve refitted the drivetrain to use Ardainian technology.” One of the soldiers next to him commented. “All of the control mechanisms have been beautifully preserved, so we should be able to finish relatively soon.”

“Finally, we will be able to compensate for the forces we lost at White Chair. And there are no safety concerns, I trust? We must avoid repeating the incident from three months ago.”

“We’ve been running a sedative drip through the Titan’s fluids since then. There have been no further difficulties. We’ve also encased the back end in composite steel. That should withstand sustained enemy fire. Even if it were to be blown up… Well, it’ll be in enemy territory.”

“A pyrric victory, I’d say.”

“The crew will have escape pods, sir.”

“That is hardly the issue. If we’re to wage war with Uraya, we can’t destroy what little territory we’d stand to gain in the process. As much as I know we need this weapon for our efforts, I can’t say I find a Judicium weapon in very good taste.”

“I’m sorry, sir… What exactly do you mean?”

“It’s said that Judicium created Flesh Eaters in the quest for ever stronger Blades. But what I see every time I look at a monster like this is the shadow of a people scrabbling to prolong their existence. I look at them and see ourselves.” He handed the report back to the soldier. “Take care you treat this weapon carefully, lest we end up like its original owners. I leave it in your capable hands.”

“You’re leaving so quickly, Senator?”

“I have business to attend to in Indol. I still need to make sure our new candidate for Praetor is up to the task, after all.”

-

As the sun began to set, the group emerged from the far end of the Orl Cloudway, one of the tunnels through the side of the central Leftherian Titan that allow travel between the two sides of the Cloud Ridge. They journeyed across several more Titans before arriving at the largest one outside the ridge. Only its back was exposed above the Cloud Sea, but it had more exposed area than any other Titan in Leftheria. Enough area to form hills, and even a small forest. Nestled between them was a stonework village. As the group approached, some children on the cliff at the village’s back caught Rex’s eye.

“Well I’ll be.” He chuckled, watching as the children took turns jumping off the cliff into the Cloud Sea. “That certainly takes me back.”

“What the hell?” Nia asked. “You wouldn’t catch me dead doing that.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it. It’s how everyone in the village learns to swim in the clouds. Came in really handy when I became a salvager, too.”

“Wait…” Pyra muttered. “This is Fonsett up ahead?”

“Yeah, town gate’s just-” Pyra took off past Rex as he raised a finger toward a stone archway.

“What are we waiting for?” She asked, shouting as she ran. “Let’s go!” Nia rolled her eyes and ran after her.

“Pyra excited.” Tora said. “Tora understand. Have seen many new places in last few days, but Leftheria by far most amazing.”

“Masterpon should get out more often.” Poppi commented. “Working inside all day bad for mind and body, you know.”

“Tora on wonderful adventure with friends now, though! Days of staying inside all day are long gone!”

“At least while this lasts, anyway.” Rex said. “Though, what’re you planning to do once this is all over?”

“What Rex-Rex mean?”

“I just… Well what’s your plan for after we get to Elysium? You’ve already got your dad back.”

“Finding Dadapon only part of reason Tora want to become Driver. Tora also have dream of one day being best Driver in whole world. And since Tora still not real Driver yet, Tora will stick with friends at least until Tora improves.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Rex smiled, clapping Tora on the back. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re already a real Driver.”

“Rex-Rex very kind, but Tora still have much to work on. Tora must improve so he no longer a burden to Poppi. Then Tora can call himself a real Driver.”

“Rex!” Pyra shouted, pouting beneath the archway. “What’s taking so long?”

“Coming!” He shouted back. He picked up his pace and met the rest of the group beneath the arch. By this point, Pyra’s shouting had begun to attract a growing crowd of onlookers, most of them children. They all wore drab brown clothing, most of it worn down or torn in some places, but the smiles on their faces couldn’t have been wider.

“Rex!” One of them shouted as he passed beneath the arch. He ran forward, motioning for the others to follow, and began crowding around him.

“You’re back!” The boy began shouting. “Did you bring me any presents this time? Who’re these people? Is that a Blade? What’d you get yourself into this time?”

“Kirk?” Rex asked. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve really grown.” He studied the other children as they arrived. “And Kazuna too. You’ll be all grown up before you know it.” He paused for a moment. “Hey, where’s Mark?”

“He’s in Indol.” A woman said, approaching Rex. As she did, the children cleared the way for her. She was an older woman with fading blue hair and brown eyes. She wore a tan embroidered dress and a necklace of seashells. And she had a look on her face that seemed to turn Rex to stone. “Away for schooling.”

“Hello Auntie.” Rex said, looking at his feet. “Did the latest payment arrive yet?”

“Ninety Thousand.” Corrine nodded. “I’ve put it with the rest, for when you change your mind. It’s good to see you again, Rex.”

“I…” Rex sighed. “It’s good to see you too, Auntie.”

“So you’ve been sending money home.” Dromarch commented. “How admirable, for such a young man.”

“Old lady have lots of littlepons!” Tora shouted, looking around.

“Masterpon, these clearly not all littlepons of same parent.” Poppi sighed.

“Rex, who are these people?” Corrine asked. “And are those… Blades? What’ve you gotten yourself into this time?”

“Long story.” He sighed, looking up. “But the gist is I’m a Driver now. And this here’s my Blade, Pyra.”

“Hello.” Pyra said, stretching out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Rex almost never talks about his family.”

“The pleasure’s mine.” Corrine shook Pyra’s hand. “The name’s Corrine. I’ve been taking care of Rex since he was a boy. It’s nice to know that someone’s been keeping him on the straight and narrow while he’s been away. Old Azurda never seems to do a proper job.”

“Excuse me.” Gramps huffed, floating out of Rex’s helmet. “I’ve done a perfectly fine job so far, I’ll have you know.”

“What… Azurda? By the Architect, what have you gone and done to yourself?”

“Like I said, it’s a long story.” Rex smiled. “I’d love to give you all the details, but we’ve really got to be moving on. Got a boat to catch at Ysheva.”

“Nonsense.” Gramps shook his head. “I’m not letting you duck out so soon. We’re staying the night, and that’s final.”

“But Gramps, I-”

“I don’t want to hear it. Incidentally, Corrine, would you mind putting us up for the night?”

“Stay for as long as you’d like.” She smiled. “You’re family, after all. Your new friends are welcome too.”

“Thank you.” Gramps nodded.

“Yeah, thanks.” Rex said. “Really, I… I do appreciate it. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a bit of a walk.” He ducked past Corrine and began walking up the hill toward the forest.

“Rex wait.” Corrine said, grabbing him by the arm. “I need you to tell me something first.”

“What is it this time?”

“I need to know what these new friends of yours are about. I need to know you’re not going to go chasing-”

“It’s got nothing to do with that.” Rex said, cutting her off. “They’re good people. They’re helping Pyra and I get somewhere, that’s all.”

“Alright.” Corrine sighed, letting him go. “Run along. You can leave your friends with me.” She turned to the rest of the group. “I’m going to get you all set up for the night, then we can start on dinner. How’s that sound?”

Rex left the group behind as they went further into the village with Corrine. He walked into the forest, following a winding path until he arrived at a clearing atop a hill. On the hill stood several stone headstones clustered around a lone tree. He knelt down next to two of them.

“Hey mum…” He said, blinking some tears out of his eyes. “Dad. It’s been awhile. A ton happened, you know. I became a Driver, of all things. I don’t know if Corrine will approve, but… I made some new friends, too. They can be grating, at times, but they’re good people. I’ve even got a Blade now. She’s a bit demanding, but she’s the nicest person I’ve ever met. I know you’d love her. And together, we… We’re going to Elysium. It sounds stupid when you say it out loud, but it’s the truth. I don’t know what we’ll find when we get there, or if we’ll even make it that far, but… You’ll be watching over us, right?” He put his hand on his mother’s headstone and bowed his head, letting out a few sobs. He almost didn’t notice when Pyra put her hand on his shoulder.

“I’m starting to realize why you didn’t want to come here.” She said as he stood up, wiping his eyes. “It couldn’t have been easy, growing up without them.”

“I got by.” He sighed. “Mum, dad, this is Pyra, the girl I was telling you about. My new partner.” Rex stood with his hand on the grave for a moment more. “I’ve got to be going. But I’ll come back as soon as I’m done. I promise.”

-

The crash of the lightning was what woke Corrine up that night. Years of looking after the village’s children made her a light sleeper. She pulled herself out of bed and fumbled around for the candle, nearly knocking her mother’s jewelry off the bedside table. She searched her pockets for a match and lit the wick. Candle in hand, she made her way down the hall to Rex and Mark’s room. They all usually gathered in their room on nights like this, despite Rex’s protesting.

She creaked the door open to see half a dozen of them all huddled together on the floor. Kirk and Kazuna were crying. Corrine knew her own son well enough to tell that Mark had been too, though he probably hadn’t done it in front of the others. Mark had stopped being scared of lightning years ago. That was when Corrine noticed Rex was missing. Frantically, she looked to Mark again. He couldn’t meet her gaze. Instantly she tore out of the room and down the stairs. Still gripping the candle, she ran out of the house and into the storm.

The rain swiftly doused her candle, and she tossed it aside. She ran forward, peering through the darkness for Rex’s silhouette. Another sudden flash of lightning illuminated him as he passed beneath the stone arch. He was wearing the dive suit Eltonos had lent him earlier that year. Corrine knew that could only really mean one thing.

“Rex!” She shouted, cupping her hands to her mouth as she ran forward. Her back pain was beginning to flare up, but she would deal with that in the morning. “Rex, wait!” He stopped beneath the arch and waited for her to catch up.

“Come to see me off?” He asked.

“Rex, what are you doing?” Corrine asked, though she already knew the answer. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Frantias is shipping out soon. I need to hurry if I’m going to catch the boat to Argentum.”

“So you’re really leaving then… I was hoping that-” She shook hear head. “No. Not hoping, I’m telling you. I’m not letting you go through with this.”

“Why? What’s waiting for me if I do? A quiet life, farming a patch of dirt and waiting for my number to come up? Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got bigger plans than that.”

“And you think something’s going to change if you go?”

“I won’t be a burden anymore.”

“You’re not-”

“Salvaging’s the only thing I’m any good at, you know that as much as I do. If I can do something with that, I can start to repay everything you did for me. If I stick around here, I’ll just cause you more trouble.”

“You’re not trouble, Rex, you’re family. And I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You know what I mean.” Corrine shook her head. “Don’t think I don’t know why you’re really going. Finding those bandits isn’t going to bring them back.”

“My parents are dead, Auntie. I can’t just let that go.”

“And what’re you planning to do if you find them?”

“I don’t know, but I… I have to do something.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed. Are you really willing to throw your life away chasing these men?”

“They took my family from me.”

“We’re your family!” Corrine screamed. “Me, Mark, Kirk, Kazuna, even old Azurda, we’re all-”

“Since when has that old coot ever cared about me?”

“He practically raised you! Just because he’s village guardian doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you! He loves you like you’re his own son!”

“Not enough to save my village, apparently.” Rex spat. The two stood in silence for a moment, letting the rain pelt them. Eventually, Rex relented. “Listen, Auntie, I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine. The money’ll start flowing before you know it. You’ll be able to send Mark to school, fix up the house, maybe hire someone to help take care of the kids. I love you, but I have to do this.” Rex turned and began walking away. “Goodbye, Auntie.”

“No you don’t!” Corrine shouted. She grabbed for his arm, but he slipped out of her reach. She tried to follow him, but she lost her balance and sunk to her knees. With a half-hearted smile, he took off running, disappearing into the night.

-

An hour later, everyone was sprawled out in Corrine’s house. They’d just finished eating the feast she’d prepared for them. Her, Pyra, and Rex were in the kitchen, washing dishes.

“Are you sure you want to help?” Corrine asked. “I’m not complaining, but wouldn’t you rather be back with your friends?”

“It’s no trouble.” Rex shook his head.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Corrine frowned. “I would’ve made you help whether you were willing to or not.”

“No, no, don’t worry about it!” Pyra said. “I don’t have to be in a fight to help people. I like it.”

“You’re a dear. Rex is lucky to have you around.”

“Tell that to the hole in my chest.” Rex said. Pyra and Corrine both shot him a glare. “It’s a joke, sheesh.”

“Why don’t you go put out the coals?” Corrine asked. “Give us girls some time to talk in private.”

“Sure.” Rex sighed. He put down the dishes and went to go douse the coals in the fire pit outside.

“I swear…” Corrine shook her head as he left. “Sometimes that boy drives me crazy.”

“He can be a handful.” Pyra nodded. “But I can tell you love him all the same.”

“True. And I have to admit, I’m rather excited. He’s never brought home a girl to meet me before.”

“W-what?” Pyra stammered, her face quickly reddening. “No no no, it’s not like that! I’m just Rex’s Blade!”

“Is that so?” Corrine raised a quizzical eyebrow and gave a wry smirk. “You do hear of Blades and Drivers getting married a lot in the old stories, though.”

“I…” Pyra looked around for a moment. “I love your village. It’s lovely. Everyone’s so warm and carefree.”

“Thinking about settling down here?”

“I… Err… Can we not talk about this?”

“I’ll lay off.” Corrine chuckled. “And thank you. I like to think Fonsett’s as calm as it is because we’re removed from everything. I think if everyone could live like this, the world might be a happier place.”

“You’re so nice, you know that? I never would have guessed you’d raised Rex.”

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or an insult.” Corrine frowned. “But I see what you mean. Rex hasn’t had it easy. I’m sure you saw when you followed him into the forest, but he lost his parents when he was four. He was born in Rigette Village, on the other side of the Orl Cloudway. One night, bandits rode through and wiped it out. His mother showed up on my doorstep that night, covered in burns and carrying him in her arms. Asked me to look after him. She died before I could reply. I did my best, but… He’s been distant. He still misses his parents, and I don’t think he ever stopped wanting revenge. When I realized what he intended to do with his life, I was scared he wouldn’t come back alive. I said some things I… probably shouldn’t have. I just don’t want to see him lose more than he already has.”

“In that case…” Pyra muttered. “Maybe it’s not good for me to be by his side after all.”

“Are you not fond of him?”

“I am, but… With me here, he’ll suffer even more. Lose even more. So maybe… Maybe Rex is better off without me. Rex… And the whole world. They don’t need me.”

“That’s not true.” Corrine shook her head. “I haven’t seen Rex smile in years. He needs you more than anything.”

“Maybe, but that’s not how it feels.” Pyra set down the plate she was washing and put her head in her hands. Corrine wrapped her in a hug. From around the corner, Brighid frowned, thinking about what she’d just overheard.

-

“Auntie?” Rex asked, standing outside the door to her room later that night. “Can I… Can I come in for a minute?” For a moment, there was no reply.

“Of course, dear.” Corrine said, opening the door. Hesitantly, he shuffled inside. “What is it you need?”

“I was wondering if you had a minute to talk?”

“Always. Assuming we are going to talk this time, instead of just yell at each other.”

“Yeah…” Rex chuckled. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. I was being childish, and I… After everything you did for me, I should have known better.”

“There’s no need for that. I was the one who started shouting first. I can hardly expect you to behave yourself when I can’t set a good example. So what is it you wanted to talk about?”

“I… I know it’s been a few months, but I didn’t think you were this hard up.”

“How do you mean?”

“New necklace.” Rex pointed to the string of shells around her neck. “Please tell me you’re just trying on a new look.” Corrine looked down, fingering the necklace absent-mindedly. She didn’t reply. “I knew it.” Rex sighed. “You sold your mother’s necklace, didn’t you?”

“It bought Mark another semester of school, so I’d say it was worth it.”

“You didn’t have to do that you know. I’ve sent you more than enough money to cover the expenses, so why sell your last memento?”

“You know why. I am not putting Mark through school with your blood money.”

“This is-!” Rex began to raise his voice but stopped himself. “This is exactly what I was trying to prevent when I left, you know.”

“Look as us.” Corrine chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re not even back a day, and we’re already having the same old fight.”

“Yeah…” Rex said. “Listen, I want you to know that I’m done with all that.”

“You’re quitting salvaging? Are you finally coming home, or do you plan to run off with that girl?”

“I… I don’t know. Once Pyra and I are finished, I’m not sure what she wants to do. But if things do ever return to normal, I’m not quitting my job. I’ve still got to send you guys money, after all. I just think… Maybe you’re right. Maybe the world has enough bloodshed in it, and I can use my talents for something more constructive than-” Corrine wrapped Rex in a hug, cutting him short. They stayed like that for a few moments.

“I’d really prefer it if you came home for good.” Corrine said. “But I understand that you’ve got to live your own life. Just promise me you’ll come visit more often.”

“I will.”

“If I may ask, what’s brought about this change of heart?”

“A lot of things, I guess. My boss is a fugitive, for one. I saw what he was doing with my salvage first hand, and I wasn’t a fan. Then there was this man I met in Gormott, Vandham, who helped me see things differently. And I guess it helps that I’m not looking for those bandits anymore.”

“You’ve stopped that as well? I was almost afraid to ask. This Vandham fellow seems to have really made an impression on you.”

“Yeah…” Rex betrayed a pained smile. “I… I won’t lie to you, I haven’t exactly given up on the bandits just yet. It’s more that I’ve… found them.”

“You…”

“Let me explain!” Rex threw up his hands. “I got a name from some Drivers we tangled with in Gormott. The Bloody Lobsters. If all goes well, I should be able to find them when we get back from the World Tree.”

“And what do you plan to do when you’ve caught up with them?” Corrine asked. “You can’t still seriously be thinking about revenge, can you?”

“I’ll figure that out when I find them.” Rex sighed. “I’ve tangled with tougher Drivers in these last couple of weeks than a pack of bandits, so it shouldn’t be much trouble, but… I think I just want to know why. After that, who knows. But I did promise Nia I wouldn’t kill anybody, so… I just figured you deserved to know. I’m not going to lie to you again.”

“I… appreciate your honesty. And I’ll certainly be glad to have the extra cash on hand. You know by now that I don’t approve of what you’re doing, going after those “Lobsters”, but… At this point, I don’t think I can stop you. Just promise me you’ll come back alive?”

“I promise.” Rex smiled, heading for the door. “Compared to reaching Elysium, a few bandits should be a walk in the park. And I’ll have more than a few friends backing me up. Goodnight, Auntie.” He walked out the door and turned. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She returned his smile. “Sleep well.” She closed the door and blew out her candle. As she drifted off to sleep, despite knowing what Rex intended to do, she felt more at ease than she had since he’d left home.

-

Pyra stood on the porch of Corrine’s house, her eyes scanning over the village illuminated by the moonlight.

“Can’t sleep?” Brighid asked, emerging from the house.

“Brighid!” Pyra exclaimed. She stumbled back for a moment. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Apologies. I was just wondering what you’re still doing awake.”

“I was thinking.” Pyra said, turning back to lean over the railing.

“This is about Rex, isn’t it?”

“I… I can’t shake the feeling that if we keep going down this road, I’ll end up hurting him again.”

“A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul, right? So stop worrying so much.”

“I appreciate the thought, but you… Wait, who told you that?” Pyra turned around to face Brighid.

“You did. Or, the other you, I mean. It was five hundred years ago, so perhaps you’ve forgotten.”

“No. I remember. I’m just surprised you do too.”

“Well, I had a little help.” Brighid held up a journal and passed it to Pyra. It was old, emblazoned both with Brighid’s characteristic blue flame and the seal of the imperial family.

“A diary?”

“Something like that. It contains details about my past lives. It’s the only way I have to remember.”

“Is this a… common practice? Amongst Blades, I mean.”

“Many try to preserve their memories. Usually in journals like this one. But a Core Crystal cannot protect a diary, so it’s often futile. I’m one of the lucky few, passed down as an imperial treasure and recorded in official chronicles. So I’ve got a pretty clear idea of what went on in my past lives.”

“What are you getting at?”

“If even half of what’s in here is true, then I think I understand what’s eating at you. And, though I don’t know where your true intentions lie, I can make an educated guess.” Brighid took the diary back from Pyra. “But Rex is your Driver. If you trust him, you should tell him the truth. If you can’t do that, you shouldn’t be his Blade at all.”

“I know…” Pyra sighed. “But… being on this journey has given him purpose. I care too much about him to take that away from him.”

“If you care about him, then it’s even more important. If you don’t tell him now, you’re just storing up pain for later, not making it easier.”

“You really do see right through me.”

“I should hope so. We go back a long way, remember?”

-

The next morning, the group stood beneath the stone arch as the sun rose. As they prepared to head out, Corrine, Kirk, and Kazuna came to see them off.

“I can’t convince you all to stay a little longer?” Corrine asked.

“You are very kind.” Fan replied. “But the delegation will arrive in Ysheva soon. We should not keep the Praetor waiting.”

“See you soon, Rex!” Kirk shouted, flashing him a thumbs up. “Bring lots of presents when you come back!”

“I’ll do my best.” Rex chuckled.

“You take care, now.” Corrine said, placing her hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Remember what we talked about. And that goes for you too, Azurda.” She shifted her gaze to Gramps, perched in Rex’s helmet. “I expect you to keep yourself out of trouble from now on.”

“You don’t have to worry.” He smiled. “I prefer the quiet life.”

“Thank you for everything.” Pyra said.

“And you make sure to come back in one piece too.” Corrine said, turning to Pyra. “You’re not alone, anymore. Remember that.”

“I know.” Pyra sighed. “I’ll try.”

“Alright, quit it with the sappy goodbyes.” Nia said. She and Dromarch began to head out. “We’ve a schedule to keep, remember?” With a wave and a smile, Pyra and Rex followed her, and the group left Fonsett Village behind.

Their journey to Ysheva Harbor didn’t take long. It sprawled across two Titans a short distance away from Fonsett, one floating in the air above another sunk halfway into the Cloud Sea. The harbor itself was two ports, one on each Titan. The group took a winding path from Fonsett up to the higher Titan, where a flying Titan ship was ready to meet them. As they approached, however, two figures disembarked the Indoline delegation and approached them.

“Finally.” Zeke said, stepping off the gangplank. “You took your sweet time.” He flashed the party a smirk as he surveyed their newest members.

“Hey, Shellhead!” Nia said with a wave.

“Hey.” Zeke and Pandoria returned the wave in tandem.

“You just don’t give up, do you?” Rex sighed. “C’mon, out of the way.”

“More like stubborn leech than turtle.” Tora commented.

“Hah.” Zeke forced a laugh. “This time I’m here for something a bit different.” He stepped forward with a lunge, pointing at Rex. “I want to see just how good you are, chum. I’ve been waiting here three whole days already.” He raised his hand into the air and slapped three extended fingers against the palm.

“Three days?” Nia asked. “Seriously?”

“Thanks, but no thanks.” Rex chuckled. “I don’t pick on idiots.”

“Well then.” Zeke smirked, drawing the greatsword from his back. “Fight me, and we’ll see who’s the idiot!”

“How did you know we’d be here?” Rex asked, reluctantly drawing his own sword.

“I’ll tell you… If you can beat me!” He turned to Mòrag. “How about you? You want to grab a piece of the Zekenator?”

“No.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You all go ahead.” She, Brighid, and Fan all walked past Zeke and boarded the Titan ship.

“What a shame!” Zeke shook his head, his smile widening. “Looks like the illustrious Flamebringer won’t be helping you this time.”

“Thanks for the concern and all.” Nia replied. “But we didn’t need her help to kick your arse last time.” She drew her rings and began motioning to the terrain. “Big tree to your right, big rock to your left, and a cliff right behind you. Which one’s gonna get you this time, eh?”

“Not today, furry ears. Check this.” Zeke crouched, angling his sword. Sparks of electricity began to dance across his skin. Before anyone knew what was happening, he burst forward. He ran through the party, dragging his sword across the ground. In his wake, he left a path of lightning ether that scattered throughout the party, knocking them off their feet. He and Pandoria were on the other side of them before they hit the ground.

“Well?” He asked, turning around as the party struggled to their feet. “Feel like taking me seriously yet?” The grin on his face was seemingly wider than physically possible.

“How did he do that?” Nia asked as she steadied herself. “It’s like he’s on a whole other level from last time.”

“Thunderbolt Zeke.” Mòrag said from the deck of the ship. “Tantal’s most powerful Driver. And it’s crown prince.”

“Crown Prince of Tantal?” Rex asked. “This guy? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Unfortunately, I’m entirely serious.” Mòrag sighed. “It is quite the rare opportunity to see his… swordsmanship first-hand.”

“Now this is more like it!” Zeke exclaimed, making a face not unlike a dog receiving a belly rub. “Ooh, come on, yeah! Keep it coming!” He looked to Mòrag, wiggling his eyebrows and beckoning for her to continue. She grimaced, turning her nose up. Brighid put her hand over Fan’s eyes to shield her from Zeke. “That’s it! That’s all I get?” Zeke pouted, turning back to face Rex. “Ugh, fine. Anyway, ready to concede defeat to the Zekenator?”

“As if!” Rex shot back. “We’re only just warming up, you pompous arse!”

“Let’s show him what we’ve got!” Pyra shouted.

“YES!” Zeke cackled. He began to spin his sword above his head. “Let’s see if the Aegis is worth the hype!” Lightning began to crackle along his sword’s blade, and he swung it down at the party. A wave of ether shot from the end, and the party scattered. Rex rolled to the side, Nia jumped into the air, and Tora slammed his shield into the ground to meet the ether stream head on. It collided with his shield and fanned out like water from a fountain. Rex fired his anchor at Nia. She caught the end, and he swung her at Zeke just as the ether passed by her. She spun through the air and let go of Rex’s anchor, aiming a kick for Zeke’s head.

With a smirk, he fired his sword blade at Tora and swung the handle up to meet Nia’s kick. He knocked her foot aside as his sword blade impacted Tora’s shield, sending him flying back. Nia flew past Zeke’s head and scrambled across the ground, quickly pivoting on her foot to spring up at him with her ring. Poppi caught Tora with one hand and launched a projectile at Zeke with her free gauntlet. Rex ran forward, his sword drawn back and poised to strike Zeke’s chest.

Zeke jumped into the air and recalled his blade. It flew up from the ground and struck the Biter from the air just as Nia passed underneath him. She sailed right over Rex’s attack and into the explosion created by the Biter. She came out the other side unharmed and threw a ring up at Zeke as she landed again. It caught him in the leg as he descended, throwing him off balance. He moved himself on top of his sword as it reformed and speared it into the ground as he landed. Rex took another swing at his side, and he shot his blade out again, rocketing himself back into the air. Rex smirked as Poppi and Tora each fired a volley of Biters at him.

He threw the handle to Pandoria and curled into a ball. She raised it above her head and formed a shield of lightning around Zeke as he reached the peak of his ascent. Lightning shot out from the shield, destroying the incoming projectiles. Rex fired a column of fire at Zeke as he descended, but the shield deflected it. Rex rolled to the side as Zeke impacted the ground, and Nia rushed forward. She swung her ring at his head as he recovered, but he ducked to the side at the last second. A follow up strike from her free hand, however, caught him in the jaw. She slammed her elbow on his temple as he recoiled. Before she or Rex could get another strike in, he grabbed his sword’s blade and swung it up at Nia, forcing her back.

Immediately, Poppi flew forward and swung a punch at Zeke. He blocked it with the flat of the blade, but she set off an explosion that forced him back. Rex swung up at him as he fell, sending another shot of flames at his face. Pandoria recalled the sword’s blade, and it managed to pull him out of the path of the fire right before it torched him. Right as the blade and handle reconnected, Zeke let go and Pandoria swung it skyward, unleashing another cascade of lightning at the party. Dromarch shot a blast of water at Pandoria, drawing most of the lightning ether up the blast and toward himself and her. They each threw up ether shields, deflecting the lightning blast as it reached them.

Rex jumped forward and swung at Zeke. He grabbed his sword from Pandoria as the lightning subsided and blocked Rex’s attack. Rex shot his anchor into the large rock at the edge of the battlefield and pulled himself forward, his sword sliding along the blade of Zeke’s. Zeke slammed his sword into the ground, pinning Rex’s, and struck out at Rex’s head with a kick. Rex let go of his sword’s handle and reeled himself out of harm’s way. In that instant, Nia rushed forward and drove one of her rings into Zeke’s chest. He barely managed to block the strike, raising his sword to meet her ring. Immediately Dromarch and Poppi followed up, unleashing both a sonic blast and another volley of Biters. Pandoria threw up a shield around Zeke and herself, but the combined attack broke through it, sending Zeke flying back into the dock’s railing. He hit it, arms splayed to either side, with a smirk on his face.

“Not bad, chum!” He exclaimed, jumping up to his feet. “But you’re still holding back! Where’s the Aegis’s true power?”

“Mythra’s power is for protecting people.” Rex replied.

“And what, I don’t qualify as a threat?”

“You could’ve done some serious damage there with that first move, but you held back. You’re not really trying to fight us.”

“Haha!” Zeke swaggered forward, laughing. “I like your attitude there, chum! That’s an Aegis’s Driver for you!”

“How did we do, Your Highness?” Fan asked.

“Well…” Zeke pretended to think for a moment. “Sure, you pass.” He sheathed his sword and flashed a thumbs up. “I think we can just about let you into the Praetorium.”

“What the…” Nia looked between Rex and Zeke. Zeke smirked, but Rex just shrugged.

“I’ve been working for Indol for a while now.” Zeke continued. “A kind of… special envoy. When the Aegis resurfaced, I volunteered to keep an eye on her. You know how it is. I’m jolly sorry for testing you like that.”

“So you’re the delegation that was supposed to meet us today?” Nia asked. “Wait, then how come you’ve been waiting here so long?”

“It pays to be punctual, you know.” Zeke nodded sagely. He didn’t elaborate further.

“We were planning on getting this over in one encounter.” Pandoria held up a finger. “But His Highness has the most awful luck, so…” She shrugged.

“I think I got that.” Rex chuckled.

“What are you talking about?” Zeke asked, leaning back on the railing. “Everyone has bad days, right?” Suddenly the supports broke, and he stumbled over the side of the cliff. “Why meeeeee!” He shouted as he fell into the Cloud Sea.

“There he goes.” Nia sighed.

“Bad luck indeed.” Dromarch commented.

“Should we go rescue him?” Pyra asked.

“Nah.” Pandoria replied, hands on her hips. “He’ll find his own way back up somehow. Let’s just board the ship.” She began walking back up the gangplank. The group took one last hesitant look over the side at Zeke’s body floating in the Cloud Sea before following her.

-

That afternoon, the Titan ship flew into a port on a large dragon-shaped Titan high above the Cloud Sea. The port they arrived at sat just in front of the Titan’s wings. A handful of other Titan ships were anchored in the port, and the merchants conducting business nearby were guarded by a contingent of warrior monks. They were dressed all in white, faces veiled behind cloth, and brandished various polearm weapons. Above them, beyond a spiraling archway and a staircase of faded green marble, was a great city of alabaster stone, stretching across the length of the Titan’s back. In the center of the city, a great tower rose into the sky, many times taller than any other structure on the Titan. The hide of the Titan, visible in a series of ridges running down its spine that rose above the city, pulsed with many colors of ether energy.

“So pretty!” Tora exclaimed as the group disembarked. Fan and Pandoria led them across the port.

“It is very grand.” Pyra commented.

“Sure.” Mythra said, her voice echoing inside Pyra’s head. “That’s what they want you to think. It gives them legitimacy.”

“You don’t have to be like that.” Pyra thought.

“You remember what this place was like. It only seems to have gotten more pompous since we went to sleep.”

“Your audience with the Praetor is in a few hours.” Fan said, interrupting their internal conversation. “But before that, maybe you’d all like to have a look around?”

“Let’s look around city!” Tora shouted. “Tora want to see everything!”

“What are we, tourists?” Rex asked.

“There’s no harm in that, is there?” Gramps asked. “This would be a first for me, too.”

“I guess you were a bit big to go running around Indol before now.” Nia said as they reached the top of the first set of stairs. In front of them a long bridge stretched over a wide street that spanned the length of the area behind the port’s buildings. The street below was filled to the brim with makeshift wood and leather tents that stood out amidst their stone background. Thousands of Gormotti families milled about between them. In the center was a large, open structure where several dozen Gormotti lay on beds, tended to by a handful of doctors and volunteers. Outside the building, however, stood a group of young Gormotti chanting in unison and wielding large wooden signs.

““No More Blades, No More War”.” Rex muttered, squinting to read one of the signs. “What’s going on here?”

“That, my friend, is an anti-Blade protest.” Zeke said, placing his hand on Rex’s shoulder. Rex and Nia both jumped back, startled by his appearance, but he continued. “The refugees have really been going at is since last year or so.”

“Where’d you come from?” Nia asked. “What’d you do, swim here?”

“No, don’t be silly.” Zeke shook his head. “People can’t swim through the air.”

“So how did-”

“Pandy lowered a rope when you all disembarked.” Zeke said. Nia stared at him, unsure of how to respond.

“Did Blades do something wrong?” Tora asked.

“The Praetorium controls the World’s supply of Core Crystals.” Mòrag said. “You could say Indol has the power to control war itself.”

“But war is about a lot more than Blades and Drivers.” Rex said. “Taking them out of the equation won’t make Mor Ardain and Uraya magically get along.”

“I’d wager they already know that.” Zeke said. “They’re Gormotti refugees who fled the invasion by Mor Ardain. They know all too well why people wage war. But they’re in Indol now. You can’t blame them for getting angry at targets closer to hand, especially after what happened at White Chair.”

“White Chair?”

“Former capital of Gormott.” Mòrag commented. “Destroyed by the forces of Empress Liùsaidh at the start of the invasion. The whole city was burned to the ground.”

“Most of the damage was caused by two Blades.” Zeke continued. “Brighid, the Jewel of Mor Ardain, and Clíodhna, the Banshee Queen. Many of these refugees probably saw the two tear the city apart as they fought. Everyone down there knows at least one person who lost their life in that first battle. If I was in their position, I’d probably want to be rid of Blades too.”

“I guess…” Rex shrugged. “It’s just…” He looked back out over the refugee camp.

“You have something to say?” Mòrag asked.

“Mor Ardain’s Titan is dying – everybody knows that. That’s why they, why you, need Gormott. Taking away Blades doesn’t change that.”

“Our population is large. The largest in Alrest. We have a duty to support them.”

“And invading another nation was the only answer?” Nia asked. “When you run out of space on Gormott, will Leftheria be next? Or Tantal? How long do you think you can keep that up?”

“Gormott will fall too, eventually. I don’t like it any more than you do, but I see no other alternative if the other nations will not share their land willingly.”

“There is an alternative. You’re just too stubborn to see it.” Nia stuck her thumb over her shoulder and pointed it at the top of the World Tree.

“You’re serious?”

“It’s got land. Resources. Everything we’d need to support the world for generations. You don’t think it’s at least worth trying?”

“Elysium?” Zeke asked. “You really think some fairytale is going to solve the world’s problems?”

“No.” Rex shook his head. “But if the alternative is more of this?” He motioned out toward the refugees. “Then I say we give Nia’s idea a shot. What’ve we got to lose?”

“I can’t say I share your optimism, Nia.” Mòrag shrugged. “But I will respect your drive.”

“Optimism’s one word for it.” Zeke commented.

“You’ve got a problem, Shellhead?” Nia asked.

“Not with the idea, no. You’ve got the Aegis with you, so there’s a good chance you could pull it off. But don’t pretend you’re looking to solve the world’s problems. You just want somewhere to hide.”

“Where do you get off, Sparky? What’re you still doing here, anyway? We’ve already got Fan to guide us, so feel free to buzz off.”

“Just calling them like I see them.” Zeke shrugged. “But I suggest you both think long and hard about exactly why you’re seeking Elysium.”

“We should be moving on.” Fan said, ushering the group up the next flight of stairs.

-

“Mòrag, can I ask you something?” Pyra asked, interrupting the silence of the group’s travel.

“Go ahead.” She replied.

“Mythra is awake now, and I think Rex appreciates what that means. But you’re not doing anything to stop us. Why is that?”

“Because His Majesty wills it so.” Mòrag said. “Rex is the Aegis’s Driver, someone with the potential to be a great hero. Just like Addam. But His Majesty recognizes that as soon as you are under imperial control, you won’t be that hero anymore.”

“I swear.” Zeke sighed. “You’re the most impossible of all, mighty Flamebringer. Can’t you just admit the real reason?”

“I don’t like what you’re implying.”

“Come on.” Zeke smirked. “Be honest for a change. You wanted to see exactly what Addam’s legendary Blade was capable of yourself.”

“One more word from you, and I cut out your tongue.” Mòrag drew one of her swords.

“So now we’re going to fight? Finally.” Zeke reached for his sword. Before they could begin, Fan stepped between them.

“Come now.” She frowned. “There will be no fighting in the Praetorium.”

“Forgive me.” Mòrag sheathed her sword. “I should be going anyway. Brighid and I have business we must attend to at the Ardainian Consulate. I hope we will meet again, Driver of the Aegis.” With that, Mòrag and Brighid peeled off from the group and headed toward the Titan’s head. The rest of the group continued their journey toward the tower at the heart of the Praetorium.

-

It didn’t take much longer for Fan to guide the rest of the group to their destination. They took the stairs to a large public square lined by walls that nearly blocked out their view of the central tower. On the far side of the square was a set of doors spanning the entire height of the wall. Fan took them through the doors and to the Inner Praetorium. It was a long, rectangular building almost as tall as the wall separating it from the rest of the city. The doors opened to a courtyard running nearly half the length of the building. Multiple floors of rooms surrounded it, and on the far side was yet another imposing set of ornate doors. The group’s rooms were all clustered in one hallway near the entrance.

“So…” Rex said, sitting down on the bed across from Pyra in their room. “Would now be a good time to ask about Mikhail?”

“What about him?” Pyra asked.

“Mythra acted like she knew him, right before Fan showed up.”

“So you noticed, huh? Mythra doesn’t like talking about it, but I could-”

“No, it’s alright. Best we not bother her. I’m sure you’ll tell me at some point, if it’s important.”

“Is there anything else you want to know? You haven’t asked a lot of questions about my past.”

“Well, I do have one other I’ve been meaning to ask. What kind of a person was Addam?”

“He was… Genuine, I guess is the word. He was always honest, and he always had the largest smile in the room. He never ran from a fight, either.”

“He sounds like a real hero.”

“He was a lot like you, you know. Mythra agrees, but you won’t hear her say it out loud.”

“I’m flattered.” Rex blushed. “But… Addam was a legendary hero. I’ve not done much to earn the comparison.”

“Addam wasn’t heroic because of what he did, he was a hero because of who he was. You might not have the experience, but you have his drive to protect others.”

“Maybe.” Rex sighed, standing up from the bed. “Sorry to leave so suddenly, but I think I need to take a walk.”

“Did I say something-”

“No. Not exactly. I’m still thinking about what Zeke said on the bridge, though. I thought I’d figured out what I was doing, but… I need to think.”

“Alright. Just be back before Fan does. Wouldn’t want to miss your audience with the Praetor.”

“Right.” Rex chuckled, opening the door. “See you later.”

He left the room and headed down the staircase back to the ground floor of the Inner Praetorium. It took him a few minutes, but he made his way back to the refugee came near the port. Instead of standing above it, however, he decided to go down into the street.

The camp was practically bursting at the seams with people. Most were Gormotti families, often more than one crammed into a tent, but there were a fair number of Spessians and Nopon as well. Everywhere Rex looked, there were children playing and adults working, mainly preparing meals and repairing tents. And everywhere he went, he drew attention. The whispering spread through the camp faster than he did, and before he knew it everyone in sight was keeping at least one eye on him.

“Well, fancy that.” Rex heard a voice in front of him. “The Aegis Driver here to visit among the people.” He turned to see a Leftherian, around his age, dressed in a white smock. Without realizing it, he’d wandered into the makeshift hospital in the middle of the camp.

“Mark?” Rex asked.

“Rex?!” Mark shouted. He looked between Rex’s face and the crystal on his chest. “Is that- What’s going on? What’re you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I go to school here.”

“Doesn’t look like a school.”

“Don’t change the subject. Why do you have that on your chest?” He pointed to Pyra’s Core Crystal in his chest.

“Long story.” Rex shrugged.

“Funny. Because the story I heard was rather short. Rumor has it the Aegis’s new Driver had part of her Core Crystal in his chest. So I’ll ask again: Why do you have that?”

“I think you answered your own question.”

“You can’t be serious.” Mark laughed. “You’re the Aegis’s Driver?”

“I mean…” Rex pulled the sword from his back with one hand and pointed at it with the other.

“No way. That is not fair, man. I live in Indol, for crying out loud. I was supposed to be the one to get a Blade first. And you got the Aegis?”

“I don’t make the rules.” Rex chuckled, sheathing his sword. “It’s good to see you again, Mark.”

“Yeah, same here.” Mark reached out and pulled Rex into a brief hug. “So what brings you to Indol?”

“You sure you’ve got time to talk? Like I said, it’s a long story, and I don’t want to keep you if you’ve got work to do.”

“Slow day today. I can afford a few minutes. Let’s talk somewhere else.” Mark led Rex into an unoccupied section of the hospital. “Out with it then.” He sat down on an empty bed and motioned for Rex to take the one opposite. “What’ve you gotten yourself into this time?”

-

“Well.” Mark whistled as Rex finished catching him up on his journey. “That is… Something else.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“I did. Right up until the part where you and Mom made up.”

“Oh come off it! You should be grateful. I’ll be paying for your tuition again, so you can focus on school again instead of paying your own way through working at a field hospital.”

“Actually, I volunteer here. It’s something to do between classes, and it’s nice to be able to help people. Not all of us expect payment for our efforts.”

“I see.” Rex nodded knowingly. “So, what’s her name then? Is she pretty?”

“Arsehole!” Mark laughed, shoving Rex in the shoulder.

“Mark!” A man called out from across the hospital. “I need some help over here, if you’ve got a minute!”

“That’s my cue.” Mark said, standing up. “I guess we’re busier than I thought.”

“Before you go…” Rex stood. “This is kind of a weird question, but… Do you think the world deserves saving?”

“That’s rather ominous. Are you saying it doesn’t?”

“No… I don’t know… I’m just trying to figure out what I’m doing. And why.”

“Well I don’t know about the world. That’s too big a question for me. But the people I care about? You, Mom, the kids, all the people in this camp? They’re worth saving, no question.”

“Thanks.” Rex said. “I’ll see you around.”

“Don’t get yourself killed, Mr. Driver.” Mark smiled. He waved and headed back to his post. Rex, for his part, continued to wander through the camp, lost in thought.

-

As the sun began to hang low, Rex made his way back to the Inner Praetorium. As he neared the rooms, he spotted Fan across the courtyard. He began to wave, but realized she wasn’t coming to retrieve them. She was standing still, staring at a mural spanning the courtyard’s wall. On one side of the mural, a great city of stone burned. A storm hung overhead. A long line of people stretched from the ruins to the other side of the mural, where they began to wade into the Cloud Sea. Above the sea, the storm began to break, and light filtered through. Riding that light were countless Titans, descending upon the crowd of refugees. Fan studied the mural intently, her brow furrowed. Rex changed direction and began to approach her.

“Has somebody got a little crush?” Nia asked, startling Rex. He spun around to see her snickering.

“Nia!” He hissed as loud as he could while trying to keep his voice down. “Not cool!”

“I thought it was pretty funny.” She chuckled. “Still, I wonder what Pyra and Mythra would think, seeing you here.”

“I’m warning you.” Rex frowned. “Don’t even go there. I just-”

“Just what? Go on.”

“If you’d let me finish.” Rex crossed his arms. Nia motioned for him to continue. “I just thought she looked… sad, is all.”

“Oh, hello you two.” Fan said, turning away from the Mural. “There’s still a few minutes before your audience.”

“Just stretching the legs.” Nia said, walking up to Fan. “This is a nice mural, by the way.”

“It depicts the creation of Alrest.” Fan returned to staring at the mural. “They say it was painted long ago, when the nation of Indol was still new.”

“You’ve been looking at it for a while.” Rex commented.

“They’re missing.”

“They?”

“My memories. I know I must have been around since this mural was first painted, or even earlier, but I don’t remember that time at all. I don’t know who I was or what I did. And I would like to.”

“Well you are a Blade.” Rex shrugged. “Comes with the territory, I guess.”

“Even so, I can’t help but wonder what kind of a person I was back then.”

“Mythra’s lived for a long time.” Nia said. “Maybe she’ll know something about you.”

“Mythra called me Haze during our journey to Leftheria. Could it be possible that she met me somewhere before? Sometime in the past?”

“Do you want to ask her later?” Rex asked.

“Could I? Thank you very much.” Fan grabbed Rex’s hand and bowed, bringing it up to her forehead.

“No need to thank me.” He blushed. “You helped us, too.”

“Look at you, going all red.” Nia smirked. “I’ll tell Pyra, I swear.”

“Alright!” Rex huffed, pulling his hand away from Fan. “We should probably go get the others.” As he walked past Nia, he whispered. “I told you, it’s not like that.”

“If you say so.” She punched him in the shoulder as they walked back to the rooms. “But I think I’ll let Pyra be the judge of that.”

-

The Quaestor stood in front of the mural. He had studied it often, when he felt uncertain. Before, it had given him the clarity he needed. But not anymore. With a sigh, he turned and walked back to his room. It was a simple room, befitting of someone of his station. He was allowed few personal effects. One of them was his old diving suit, hung at the foot of his bed. Another was his journal, kept on his desk amongst the dozens of copies of scripture, spiritual texts, and holy edicts that had been given to him in seminary. Atop his journal was his most precious possession. A holy artifact said to have come from Elysium. Inscribed along its length by his mother, before she passed, were the words “Father waits, above”. He pocketed the artifact and turned to see the World Tree outside his window. He knew what he had to do.

-

Lightning crashed around him as he griped the vines snaking up the World Tree. He had been climbing for many hours and was resigned to climb for many more. He had to know. Suddenly, however, he reached up and felt the edge of a cliff. Frantically, he threw his hand over the top and pulled himself up. He stood on solid ground, what appeared to be some kind of stone. In front of him was a doorway.

He wandered the corridors of the strange stone labyrinth until he felt unable to continue. He had passed strangely glowing statues, rooms that seemed to move on their own, and lights that appeared as if from nowhere and vanished just as quickly. He wandered, torch in hand, until he came to a dead end. He reached out his hand to the wall in front of him. Before he could touch it, there was a great rumbling. The wall began to move, sliding open to reveal a vast expanse. Light poured through the gateway, blinding him. When his vision returned, he found only emptiness. No matter where he looked, no matter how far he wandered, he found no comfort. He screamed.

-

Back in his room, he studied his prize. Two Core Crystals, taken from the depths of Elysium. Though he could not find the Architect, he had brought back proof of his attempt. And along with them, a conviction. He knew what he needed to do. He took one of the crystals in his hand and concentrated. He—

“Praetor Amalthus?” The magistrate asked, breaking the priest’s concentration. “Are you alright?”

“Forgive me.” Amalthus opened his eyes, staring up at the mural of the World Tree he so often conducted service under. “I was lost in thought.” He turned around to face the magistrate, who stood by his throne.

“They boy has arrived, Your Eminence.”

“Thank you.” Amalthus nodded. “Tell Fan to bring him in.” The magistrate bowed and walked swiftly to deliver Amalthus’s word. Amalthus returned to his throne and waited as Rex and the others walked into the sanctuary.

“So you are Rex.” Amalthus smiled as the group approached. “I’ve heard much.”

“Apparently word’s been getting around.” Rex said. “So… I’m supposed to be meeting the Praetor. Are you…?”

“Indeed. I am Amalthus. I imagine you expected somebody older?”

“We heard that you were Cole’s Driver. Y-your Eminence. Sorry, I-”

“No need for formalities. I am a mere representative of the Architect. The name “Praetor” is simply a… decoration, if you will. In any case, we are the same, you and I. Aegis Drivers. I consider us equals.”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Rex chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You sure adjust quickly.” Nia whispered, rolling her eyes.

“You’re different, somehow.” Amalthus said, casting his gaze to Pyra. “I seem to recall a more forceful personality.”

“I suppose we’re both out of the loop.” She replied.

“I almost forgot!” Rex exclaimed, fishing around in his bag. “Here!” He pulled out Cole’s dagger and held it up to Amalthus. The various monks posted around the sanctuary immediately drew their weapons. Amalthus put up a hand to quell them.

“I got this from Cole.” Rex continued. “Though, maybe you know him as Minoth. He said it belonged to you.”

“Minoth!” Amalthus laughed. “Now that brings back memories.” He stepped down from his throne and took the dagger from Rex. “Thank you, for returning this to me. It’s nice to know he still remembers me, after everything.”

“We’re looking for a way to Elysium. Cole told us that you would know the way.”

“We have to get there, Your Eminence.” Nia said. “If the stories are true, it could save Alrest.”

“Long ago, I used to think like you.” Amalthus sighed, returning to his throne. “Too long ago. Indeed, it led me to climb the World Tree. But I did not find Elysium, or the Architect. I believe…” Amalthus paused. For a moment, Rex could see Malos standing in his place. “It was because I was unworthy. Rex, I know your desire all too well. I shall help you on your quest.”

“Really?” Nia exclaimed. “Thank you so much, Your Eminence!”

“Forgive me.” He frowned slightly. “I do not think we have been properly introduced. You are…?”

“Nia.”

“I get the sense, Nia, that you seem to be the idealist of this group. The one most committed to the goal.”

“Things in Alrest are getting worse by the day. Everyone knows it, and no one seems able to stop it. It’s high time we try some less conventional solutions.”

“On that, we agree. And so, Nia, Rex, there is little need for thanks. I believe this could be my destiny. The reason the Architect has blessed me with these many long years. But before that, I would be honored to have a moment alone with the Aegis.”

“Pyra.” She said.

“With Pyra. I’d like to… reminisce a little. Fan la Norne will escort you all back to your rooms. I will call on you again shortly, once I have discussed things with Pyra”

“Alright.” Rex nodded. “Thanks for your time.” Rex gave an awkward bow, and the group turned to leave.

“So old man Cole really did know the Praetor.” Rex said as they left the sanctuary. “Who’d have thought?”

“World is small place.” Tora nodded.

“Do you think Pyra will be alright by herself?”

“He’s the Praetor.” Nia chuckled. “What’s he going to do, eat her?”

“Probably not.” Zeke shrugged.

“Probably? This is the Praetor we’re talking about.”

“Exactly. The Praetorium is the home of the practice of Blade Eating.”

“Now I know you’re messing with us.” Nia rolled her eyes.

“Back there, I felt something weird.” Rex said. “It was just for a second, but it felt like we were talking to Malos.”

“You’re imagining things. You know he’s Malos’s Driver, and it’s messing with your head.”

“They not seem alike to me.” Poppi offered.

“No, I know.” Rex shook his head. “It was just for an instant.”

“Blades are influenced by their Drivers during resonance, some more than others” Gramps said. “Their appearance and personality shift according to who awakens them. That’s probably all it is.”

“Perhaps it was due to your bond with Pyra.” Dromarch mused. “That could have heightened your perception of such things.”

“Best not to dwell on something like that.” Fan said as the group reached their rooms. “You’ll be meeting with the Praetor again soon, so if it’s still bothering you, you can simply ask him.”

“I suppose.” Rex sighed. “I just can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.”

-

After a few minutes, Amalthus and Pyra left the sanctuary and began to walk the grounds. As they walked, he led her to the mural Fan was staring at earlier.

“It was painted fifteen hundred years ago.” He said. “Even through exposure to the elements, it has never needed repair. Always as pristine as the day it was made. The technique is long-forgotten.” He paused. “I often wonder if we are growing as a people, or in fact regressing. What do you think?”

“What do I think?” She asked. To answer, she shifted over to Mythra. “I think you haven’t changed at all, Amalthus. Has nobody ever wondered about that?”

“I am the Driver of an Aegis. It keeps me young. I like to think it is a blessing from the Architect, though some do not see it that way.”

“If you say so. Why do this now, though? You’ve never let anyone go there before, have you?”

“Times change, Mythra. So do people.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I would like to believe there is one who can reach the Architect and save this dying world. Is that really so strange?”

“Coming from you? Yes.”

“Like I said, people change.”

“And Rex is the one?”

“Would you have resonated with him if he did not hold such potential?”

“You didn’t.” Mythra scoffed. “Neither did Addam.”

“True enough. But I feel the boy is different. And obviously, you feel the same way. Unless… You have some other reason to return to Elysium?”

“No. Now if you’re done walking down memory lane, we-”

“Your Eminence!” A monk shouted, running up to Alamthus from one of the side rooms. “Terrible news from Temperantia!”

-

As the sun set over Temperantia, the forward Urayan garrison went about their business. Their primary goal was to saber-rattle at the imperial forces across the field, so they often conducted mock battles and training exercises in full view of the Ardainian garrison, to show off the might of the kingdom’s forces. That evening, just as they began to put their Titan ships in the air for another drill, they heard a rumbling. They looked out across the plane and saw the massive scarab-like Judicium Titan weapon advancing on them.

They formed battle lines as it approached. It roared, planting its feet and raising its thorax. The metal plates on the thorax unfolded, and several energy cores imbedded within it began to glow. Lines of blue light erupted from the cores, streaking across the battlefield. Hundreds of them rained down upon the Urayan garrison. The entire fleet was struck from the sky in one fell swoop. Many of the ground troops scattered, fire raining down on them. As the soldiers fled, it followed them to the next encampment.

-

The group stood with Amalthus in the sanctuary. He had summoned them as soon as he received word. Fan and Mythra were present as well.

“There is a demilitarized zone between Mor Ardain and Uraya.” Amalthus explained. “Temperantia. It serves as a buffer between the two nations. We’ve received work of fighting in the area. Mor Ardain have unleashed a Titan weapon. It is advancing as we speak through the Urayan garrisons.”

“So this is it.” Nia said, clenching her fists. “Mor Ardain’s starting another war.”

“We do not know that for certain.” Dromarch shook his head. “Their two Titans are at their closest right now. If their intent was to take Temperantia, they would want to keep the fighting there. As it stands, Urayan forces could strike Mor Ardain at a moment’s notice with little retaliation.”

“Precisely my thinking.” Amalthus continued. “Mor Ardain does not stand to gain from breaking the treaty now. I think the matter deserves more investigation.”

“Mòrag’s still in Indol, right?” Rex asked. “If anyone knows what’s going on, she does.”

“Might I ask you to speak with her? If indeed Mor Ardain has broken the treaty, measures will need to be taken. And if not, I imagine she’ll need help tracking down whoever is responsible.”

“Sure thing.” Mythra nodded.

“I am glad to hear it. Take Fan la Norne with you, as well. She can guide you to the Ardainian Consulate. She will provide whatever assistance you require.”

“Let’s get moving, people!” Zeke shouted, already running for the door. “Every second we waste, people die!”

-

“Senator Roderich.” Mòrag said, pacing back and forth in the Consul’s office. The Senator sat across from her, just in front of Brighid. “You are a hard man to find.”

“I’m on vacation, Special Inquisitor.” The man replied. “The Senate is in recess for another week, after all. I thought the Indoline air would do me some good.”

“The same excuse you gave His Majesty. Before you restarted the dig in Temperantia and sold military secrets to terrorists.”

“Preposterous. I don’t know who concocted such baseless accusations, but-”

“You’ve been here in Indol since you left the capital. I know. I’ve already questioned your personal guard. But there’s one group whose story you forgot to get straight. You took a ship from here to Temperantia and back several days ago. It was captained by a direct subordinate of Grand Marshall Robalt. He told me you informed him that you were on a mission for His Majesty in Temperantia. You even managed to forge an imperial degree to back up your story. Most impressive.”

“The Emperor doesn’t understand Mor Ardain’s urgent lack or resources. We need more land, or our people will starve. That dig is the key to keeping our people alive.”

“So you admit it? You restarted a dig His Majesty expressly ordered halted. And you’ve been covering it up for some time. You’ve violated His Majesty’s will.”

“What I did was for the good of-” She slapped him across the face.

“Your patriotism is touching.” Mòrag scoffed. “But it doesn’t make you any less of a traitor. And it doesn’t explain why you sold military secrets to a terrorist organization to fund your private army.”

“The Blade Bots will supplement our forces. With them and that Titan weapon on our side, we don’t need to bow to Indol. We don’t need to endanger the lives of our countrymen to feed our citizens. Uraya will have no choice but to submit to us.”

“To you, more like. I see through you. You’re only looking out for yourself. These “Blade Bots” of yours would remain loyal to you, and no one else.”

“I gain nothing.” Senator Roderich began shaking. “I swear, everything I did was for the good of the Empire.”

“You almost sound like you’re telling the truth.” Mòrag sighed. “Shame we’ll never know, though. Your partner in crime, Bana, sold you down the river. He turned your army of “Blade Bots” over to Torna. I’m sure you’ve heard of them. Your reckless actions have endangered the lives of countless Ardainian citizens.”

“That snake!” Senator Roderich spat. “To think he would betray me, now of all times. I should-”

“Senator!” A soldier shouted, bursting into the room. “We’ve received-” He stopped himself when he saw Mòrag in the room.

“I was very clear we were not to be interrupted.” She frowned.

“This can’t wait! The Titan weapon has begun moving on its own. It’s destroyed two Urayan garrisons so-” Immediately Mòrag drew one of her swords. She placed it against Senator Roderich’s neck and narrowed her eyes.

“Explain.” She said. “Now.”

“I-it wasn’t me!” He stammered. “Even I would never dream of starting a war without His Majesty’s express consent!”

“You were building up an army, Roderich. You wanted a war more than anyone else. I’m supposed to believe you didn’t start this one?”

“We have another problem!” The soldier continued. “A delegation from Indol has arrived! They’re asking to see you, Special Inquisitor!”

“Let them up.” She sighed. He saluted and ran off. She waited, sword still pressed against the Senator’s throat, for the soldier to return.

“Mòrag!” Rex shouted as the soldier led him into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Rex? You’re the-” Mòrag started. Nia pushed past Rex and grabbed Mòrag by her collar, cutting her off.

“Tell me you didn’t do this.” She said, her claws dinning into Mòrag’s skin.

“I didn’t do this.” Mòrag replied. She and Nia held each other’s gaze for a moment. Finally, Nia let her go.

“Then who did?” Mythra asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. It seems this fool resurrected a Judicium Titan weapon, but he’s lost control of it.”

“W-who are these people?” Senator Roderich asked. “They’re not from the Praetorium!”

“This is the Driver of the Aegis. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors.”

“So you’re the one responsible?” Nia asked.

“No, I would never!” Senator Roderich protested. “The timing’s all wrong anyway! We can’t win the fight now!”

“Sound like you were planning to start this sooner or later.” Zeke scoffed. “Sly rat.”

“He’s telling the truth.” Mythra said. “Think about it. He doesn’t stand to gain from a war right now. Neither side does. But there is one group who will.”

“Torna.” Nia growled.

“I don’t follow.” Mòrag said.

“Bana gave them an army.” Mythra continued. “They plan on using it for something. Nia, during your time with them, did they ever tell you their plan?”

“They told me they were going to Elysium.” Nia said. “Jin wouldn’t tell me why he had us collecting Core Crystals, but Malos said it was to “finish what they started”.”

“The Aegis War. Malos tried to wipe out humanity when he was first awakened. That must be what he meant.”

“And you think they’re trying to start another war?” Mòrag asked.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. The first one started as a border skirmish between Mor Ardain, Indol, and the nation of Coeia. Malos took the opportunity to attack, and he sunk the entire Coeian Titan in one night.”

“Inquisitor Mòrag, I beg of you.” Senator Roderich said. “You’re the only one who can put a stop to this! If we go to war now-”

“Don’t worry.” She snarled. “I don’t plan to sit back and watch. But you aren’t getting away that easily.” She smacked him over the head with the hilt of her sword and turned to the soldier guarding the room. “Lock this traitor up and have him shipped back to Alba Cavanich. I’ll go clean up his mess. Brighid!” She began to leave the room, Brighid on her heel.

“What’s the fastest ship we’ve got?” Rex asked. “I can plot us a route to Temperantia, but we need to move quickly.”

“You don’t need to do anything. This is an imperial matter. We will deal with it ourselves.”

“The Praetor requested that we aid you.” Zeke shook his head. “You’re not ditching us that easily.”

“Besides.” Rex said. “If Torna are involved, that makes it our problem too.”

“I cannot ask you to aid me.” Mòrag began to protest.

“Come off your high horse.” Nia sighed. “That pride’s only going to waste time.”

“If it bothers you, don’t call it aid.” Rex suggested. “Think of it as compensation for the water tower.”

“I knew you’d go there.” Nia sighed. “At least that code of yours is good for something.”

“Very well.” Mòrag nodded. “I’d rather resolve this myself, but we may be past that point now. We’ll take Senator Roderich’s vessel. It should get us there quicker than an Indoline ship.”

“I will accompany you as well.” Fan said. “This crisis in Temperantia is being caused by a weaponized Titan. And my power to restrict is not limited to Blades. It also affects Titans.”

“I can’t in good conscience put the Goddess of the Praetorium in harm’s way.”

“The Praetor asked me to assist you. I can assist.”

“Just bring her.” Nia said, marching out of the door. “We’re wasting time as it is. We need to stop that Titan.”

-

As quick as they could, the group raced to the port they’d arrived at earlier that day. Mòrag barked orders at the ship’s crew, and in no time at all they were sailing for Temperantia. Everyone stood on the deck, waiting for the Titan to come over the horizon.

“Remind me again why we’re bringing this spanner.” Nia said, pointing over her shoulder at Zeke.

“Because this sounds like fun!” He beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

“We’re not on holiday here.”

“And because I’ve heard a lot about these Torna people.”

“They’re the ones collecting Core Crystals, yeah?” Pandoria said.

“We can’t pretend this doesn’t concern us, too. Not when they’re calling themselves Torna.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Shellhead?” Nia asked.

“It’s simple, really. I-”

“Titan spotted!” Rex shouted from the cabin, cutting him off. “Everyone, get ready!” The group ran to the front of the ship to get a better look, where Mòrag stood with an Ardainian soldier.

“Our Titan weapon has crossed the central border.” He said, delivering a report. “It’s advancing at about forty titanpeds per hour!”

“We need to get in front of it.” She said. “Is there a suitable place to dock?”

“According to maps, there’s a bay fairly close by.” Rex said, emerging from the cabin. “There should be a path from there to the cliffs above the Titan.”

“Take us in!” Mòrag shouted to the pilot. “And be quick about it!” The Titan ship sailed around, drawing closer to Temperantia. The Titan was little more than a mass of black rock, stretching on as far as the eye could see. It swam slowly, slower than any other of the great Titans. Great twisting spires rose from its back, and large crevices snaked like veins across its surface. The Titan ship docked near one of these crevices, and the group disembarked before it could come to a full stop. They ran along the cliffs until they reached the middle of the Titan’s back. They came to a stop as they saw what lay below them.

The Titan weapon had carved a path of destruction across Temperantia. The corpses of dead Urayan soldiers and Titans littered the field. Smoke from hundreds of fires rose into the air, threatening to choke whoever was left.

“How awful…” Brighid muttered. “They didn’t stand a chance.”

“Look out!” Mythra shouted, throwing up an ether shield around the group. Moments later, several dozen blue energy projectiles impacted the shield, nearly shattering it. Across the field, the Titan weapon lumbered into view, charging up another shot. Before it fired at them again, however, a group of Urayan soldiers on the ground broke for cover. It turned its attention to them and kept walking, drawing closer to the group.

“Everyone alright?” Rex asked. Various noises of confirmation rang out from the group.

“How the hell do we stop something like that?” Nia exclaimed, studying it as it neared the cliffs.

“On its back is an Ardainian drive mechanism.” Mòrag said. “We’ll need to sever the cables connecting it to the legs and the weapon. That should render it unable to move or fire. “

“Lady Mythra, I presume you’ll be able to destroy them?” Dromarch asked.

“I’ve got a clear shot.” She offered, beginning to analyze the battlefield. “Just say the word.”

“No.” Mòrag shook hear head. “We can’t risk it.”

“What do you mean?” Zeke asked.

“I’ve read through this thing’s specs. It uses vaporized Titan bodily fluids to generate its ether supply. The resulting gas is highly unstable. The slightest shock, and we have a giant explosion on our hands.”

“How large are we talking?”

“Large enough to have His Majesty shut down the dig over safety concerns.”

“Why make a weapon so dangerous?” Dromarch asked.

“As long as we got the weapon inside enemy lines, its destruction would work in our favor.”

“That’s so cold, it’s almost impressive.” Zeke noted.

“So a ranged attack is out.” Nia thought. “But someone should still be piloting that thing, right? Can’t we get aboard and take them out?”

“The control center is armor plated.” Mòrag continued. “It’d be too risky to break our way into it. But that armor doesn’t cover the cables.”

“Cables it is, then.” Rex said.

“That’s easier said than done. Judicium spared no expense on this weapon. It has an independent defense mechanism, the Aeshma Core, wired into the Titan’s nervous system. It will attack anything that approaches the control center.”

“We’ll just have to deal with it as we go. It’s looking like we don’t have any other options.”

“How we get up on Titan’s back, though?” Tora asked.

“Jump?” Zeke offered.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Mythra said, finishing her analysis. “Up ahead, there’s a spot where the cliff juts out.” She pointed to a nearby overhand. “The Titan’s path should take it underneath that spot. We can jump when it does.”

“Onto a moving Titan?” Gramps asked. “Get the timing off, even by a little, and we go headfirst down to the bottom of the cliff.”

“I’ll handle that.” Fan said. “When it’s in position, I’ll stop it moving. Then you all jump.”

“That’s not a bad idea, actually.” Mòrag nodded. “If you restrict its nervous system, that’ll take down the Aeshma Core as well.”

“Well we’d better get a move on!” Rex shouted. “I think it’s noticed we’re not dead!” As he spoke, the Titan turned and unleashed another volley of energy at them. They ran for the overhang, and Mythra jumped into the air. She generated another ether shield to block the volley, but it wasn’t the only one. The second she dropped her shield another volley flew past her. Pandoria, Dromarch, and Brighid all put up their own shields to block it, but some of the projectiles made it through. They tore up the ground around the group, knocking most of them off their feet. Fan, however, ran forward undeterred. She sprinted up the overhang, narrowly avoiding another volley of beams fired at her, and planted her staff in the ground. Just as the Titan passed underneath her, a wave of green ether erupted from its tip. As it passed over the Titan, it immediately stopped moving, and the lights on its thorax dimmed.

“Move!” Mòrag shouted. The group scrambled across the overhang and jumped, landing on the Titan’s back. Fan stayed above them, continuing to restrict the Titan.

“Mòrag, which cable is it?” Rex shouted, looking around.

“They’re-” Mòrag began to point them out, but an object in front of them rose into the air. It was an oblong, metal-plated hump near the base of the Titan’s thorax. Tendrils unfurled from its sides, and slats opened up on the front to reveal cannons.

“Why is it still moving?” Nia asked.

“It appears the Senator had it hooked up to a separate power source.” Mòrag sighed.

“Why would you even need a separate bloody defense mechanism?” Zeke moaned, drawing his sword.

“Bitch later!” Nia shouted. “Fight now!” As she drew her rings, one of the tendrils shot forward at her. Rex knocked it off course with a blast from his sword.

“Mòrag, Brighid! Handle the cables!” He shouted, running forward and slashing at another of the Core’s tentacles. “Tora and Poppi, you guard them! Nia and I’ll keep it busy!” Everyone nodded and got into position, Tora shielding Mòrag as she ran for the first set of cables on the Titan’s right, and Poppi taking point for Brighid as she got to work on the left.

“What about Shellhead?” Nia asked, parrying a strike from one of the tendrils.

“Don’t you worry about me!” Zeke smirked. “I can handle myself!” He jumped and swung at the Core’s central tendril. He struck it, but his attack bounced off the armor. It batted him aside with a tendril and sent two more at Mòrag as she attempted to get behind it. Tora blocked the strikes with his shield. Zeke sailed through the air and over the side of the Titan. He fired his sword into the Titan’s side and recalled it once it was properly anchored, pulling him back to safety.

Nia dodged around the tendrils and began attacking the Core’s base with her rings. Dromarch backed her up, lunging at one of the tendrils and tearing into it with his claws and teeth. It lifted into the air, taking him with it, and tried to slam him down onto Nia. Before it could, he jumped off it and landed behind the Core, slashing at a series of cables connecting it to the rest of the Titan. A tendril whipped around and struck Dromarch before he could get in a second strike, knocking him into Tora.

Several tendrils immediately targeted Mòrag while she was busy cutting the first set of cables on the Titan’s side. Rex jumped in front of them, and Mythra put up an ether shield to block their strike. Two more tendrils grabbed Nia by the arms and hoisted her into the air. She tried to cut them with her rings but found no purchase. They began pulling on her arms, trying to rip her apart. Rex tried to move to help her, but one of the tendrils slipped past the ether shield as he did. He cut it down with his sword before it could reach Mòrag, but the other tendrils attacked his shield again.

Mòrag cut the last cable in the first bundle and rolled out from behind Rex’s shield. She ran for Nia, and the other tendrils followed. Mythra dropped the shield and Rex and Tora struck the tendrils, allowing Mòrag to slip past. She darted underneath Nia and whipped her swords up, wrapping around the tendrils holding Nia in the air. Flames danced along her swords, melting the tendrils’ outer casings. In one swift motion, she brought them back down, slicing the tendrils clean off.

“Thanks.” Nia grunted, dropping back to the ground. Mòrag pulled her to her feet, and the two began to attack the Core’s base once more. Immediately, the Core changed tactics. The cannons in its hull extended and began firing energy projectiles at anything the Core could see. Nia and Mòrag were both forced back, narrowly avoiding several hits. Rex and Tora tanked several shots using Mythra’s ether shield, and Rex returned fire with blasts from his sword, taking out one of the cannons.

“How we doing?!” He shouted as Mythra expanded the shield to cover Nia, Mòrag, and Dromarch.

“Tora have good grasp of cable placement!” Tora replied, scrambling toward the Titan’s head to take out another group of cables. “But someone need to cut cables connecting Core to power supply!”

“We’re done over here!” Brighid shouted, returning to Mòrag’s side as Poppi went to help Tora. “But we can’t get close to this thing!”

“Leave it to me!” Zeke shouted, vaulting back over the Titan’s side. He fired his sword blade directly into one of the cannons, ripping a hole in the Core’s side. He landed atop the Core’s central tendril and jammed his sword’s handle into the glowing eye on the tip. Lightning shot out from it as it trashed around, throwing Zeke off it. He grabbed one of the few remaining tendrils as he fell, swinging back around and delivering a kick to his sword handle to drive it deeper into the eye. As he landed, he pulled the tendril he swung down on free from its socket and jammed it into a nearby cannon.

Nia and Mòrag ran in opposite directions as the Core focused its attention on Zeke. Rex fired an ether burst from his sword as they did, cutting the central tendril at the base. Zeke grabbed it by his sword’s handle as it fell and swung it into the center of the Core. He pulled it back and recalled his sword blade, shattering the central tendril. He began to hack away at the central wiring of the Core, and it panicked. Every tendril and cannon left attacked Zeke. Pandoria ran forward and grabbed the sword’s handle, generating a shield of lightning around the pair. Mòrag and Nia unleashed a collective series of blows on the bundle of cables coming out of the Core’s back. As it shuddered its last, Rex jumped into the air and extended the energy blade of his sword, plunging it deep into the center of the Core. The remaining tendrils twitched one final time and fell still.

“We make a pretty good team.” Zeke remarked as Poppi and Tora severed the final cables. Fan stopped restricting the Titan and jumped from the ledge, joining the group as they converged beneath the control center. Nia scaled up the Titan’s thorax until she arrived at the elevated platform the center sat on. Immediately she began cutting through the armor plates.

“Careful.” Rex said, keeping his sword drawn. “This is Torna we’re dealing with. No telling who they sent to steal this thing, but none of them are pushovers.”

“I can handle my-” Suddenly the hatch flew open, smacking Nia in the nose. She reeled back, and an Ardainian soldier emerged from the cockpit. She placed a gun against Nia’s head and stood to face the rest of the group as they prepared to attack.

“Nobody move!” She shouted. “Or the Gormotti loses her head!”

“What is the meaning of this!” Mòrag snarled.

“Lower the gun.” Brighid said. “There’s nowhere for you to run, so just make this easier on yourself.” Behind her, Rex slowly brought his sword around to face the soldier.

“Oh I’m not running.” The soldier snapped. “I’ve still got a job to do! But you all are going to back right up, unless you want to see just what this animal has rattling around in her skull.” Slowly, everyone backed up. “And throw down your weapons!”

“Alright.” Mòrag smirked. She tossed her whipswords in front of her. One of them extended, given a slight jolt of ether from Brighid, and struck the gun from the soldier’s hand, burning her with its flames. Immediately Nia grabbed the soldier by the arm and swung her over her head, slamming her down in front of Mòrag. Zeke and Rex rushed forward, aiming their weapons at her before she could recover.

“Talk.” Mòrag said, picking her swords up and marching over to the soldier. She put one foot on the soldier’s head and another on her good hand.

“Not to an imperial bitch like you!” The soldier spat. “Our Blade Bots will have taken the capital by now! My sacrifice is the last that will be made for a free Mor Ardain!” She crushed a pill in her mouth and began foaming. “GLORY TO BRIONAC!” Those were her last words as the chemical ate through her skull.

Mòrag screamed and kicked the dead woman’s body aside.

“How could I be so foolish.” She spat. “The Senator orchestrated the entire crisis. He begged us to resolve it hoping the Aeshma Core would finish us off.”

“But why now?” Nia asked. “Mor Ardain can’t win a war like this, he said so himself.”

“He wasn’t planning on winning. He was trying to instigate a coup. He’d planned on using those Artificial Blade Bana manufactured, along with Brionac Company, to take the capital and kill the Emperor. No doubt he planned to crush Uraya next, with the help of this monstrosity.”

“Brionac?” Tora asked. “What Brionac?”

“An anti-imperialist group of military deserters. They’re little more than brigands, but with an army of Artificial Blades at their disposal, this might have been a viable plan.”

“Good think we stop factory then.”

“I don’t think we get to congratulate ourselves for this one.” Nia shook her head. “Torna had already gotten their hands on this supposed army when we arrived. Had that first shipment gone to the Senator instead, we’d be facing a much more dire situation.”

“Such a shame.” A voice from behind the party said. They all turned to see Jin, standing at the head of the Titan. “That our actions would end up saving the humans from destruction.”

“Jin!” Nia snarled. “What’re you doing here?”

“I came to unleash this weapon on the world.” He continued. “But when I arrived, the humans had already done that themselves.”

“So this is Jin.” Fan said, stepping forward. “Leader of Torna. I am Fan la Norne. Praetor Amalthus has ordered that I bring you into custody.”

“How Ironic. That you should speak his name with that face, oblivious to everything. Even your own identity. And you, Aegis!” He drew his sword and pointed it at Mythra. “How dare you stand there, acting like you’re not involved in all of this?!”

“How dare I?” Mythra asked. “No, Jin. How dare you? What would Lora think, seeing you join forces with Malos? Do you think this is what she would want?”

“You don’t have the right to speak her name.” Jin spat. “Not after what you did.”

“Is that supposed to be an excuse?”

“I don’t need one. I realized he had the right of it. That’s all.”

“I don’t think it’s as simple as that at all. There’s only one way you could have survived this long.”

“Don’t tell me.” Rex said. “Is he a Blade?”

“Yes.” Mythra nodded. “He fought alongside us to defeat Malos. He was the strongest Blade in Torna, until it fell in the war.”

“It fell.” Jin let out a dry laugh. “Says the girl who sank it.”

“In all of Addams’ army, there was no one kinder. Or stronger. He only fought to protect his Driver, Lora. She-”

“I told you not to say her name!” Jin shouted. “If it weren’t for you, she’s still be-” He stopped himself, hands shaking.

“I don’t see how her death is my fault. If you still remember her, that means-”

“Take a good look!” He screamed, ripping off his mask. On his forehead was a diamond-shaped crystal, red as blood. “This is what you drove us to! You sealed yourself away, and we paid the price! So don’t you presume to know why I fight. These humans aren’t fit to breath our air!”

“That color.” Zeke muttered. “So he’s a Flesh Eater, then?”

“Not just any Flesh Eater.” Mòrag shook her head. “We’ve no records of a Core Crystal with this much coloration.”

“No matter.” Fan said. She pointed her staff at Jin. “My power is to restrict a Blade’s every action. No Blade can escape its clutch, no matter how strong, no matter how human.” She raised her staff and began to emit the same green ether. It coiled around Jin at the same time a white mist began to build up around him. The two collided with each other and faded, but Jin frowned. He took a step forward and raised his sword.

“How’s he still moving?” Rex asked. “Even the Titan weapon couldn’t withstand it.”

“It’s definitely working.” Mythra sighed. “He’s nowhere near full strength.”

“How powerful is this man?” Mòrag asked.

“You don’t want to know.” Nia replied. “Let’s just take him out.” She ran forward and swung at his head. He blocked her strike rather casually.

“Nia.” He shook his head. “Betraying us to the humans? I’m disappointed.”

“Shut it, you daft git.” She slashed her second ring at his chest. He dodged back and swung his sword at her head. She ducked, and Poppi and Tora opened fire at Jin. He struck the projectiles from the air, but that gave Mòrag and Zeke time to circle around him. Rex fell back next to Fan as they each blasted away at Jin with jets of ether. Jin jumped above their attacks, and instantly Zeke shot his sword blade out at him from below. At the same time, Mòrag extended her swords and slashed at him from above. He spun around, striking Zeke’s sword with his own and knocking it up into Mòrag’s weapon. He landed and attempted to run Nia through again, but she parried the strike and hit him in the chest with a ring at a very particular angle. He coughed and doubled over. Nia attempted a follow up, but he knocked her aside with a kick. Zeke jumped, reforming his sword and plunging it down on Jin’s head. He rolled forward, barely avoiding the strike, and caught a sonic blast from Dromarch.

It knocked him to the side, straight into Brighid’s grasp. She gripped him by the head and began to heat her hand, attempting to melt his Core Crystal. He struck her in the chest with his sword, barely missing hers, and broke free of her grasp. Mòrag struck him across the back, and he stumbled forward. Tora and Poppi ran forward to attack him, but he smacked them aside. Tora barely managed to block the strike, but Poppi took the slash on her face. Jin looked up, everyone behind him advancing to deliver follow up strikes.

Suddenly Rex’s foresight activated. He could see Jin rush forward and stab his sword straight through Fan’s Core Crystal. The moment he’d stuck by Fan’s side for. He knew Jin would try to take her out, and he was prepared. He could see the path of the strike, and swung his sword to interc-

Suddenly Jin stood next to him. Reality had caught up with the prediction before Rex could even react. He watched as Jin plunged his sword straight into Fan’s chest, piercing her Core Crystal. She gasped, and the ether began to fade from her staff.

“You are no slave.” Jin muttered. “Be free now.” As he spoke, she dropped her staff. She reached up, one hand trembling, and grabbed Jin’s face.

Suddenly Jin was back in that forest, holding Lora’s body as her life faded. They were so much alike it hurt. He jumped back, leaving a trail of ice behind him as Rex finally completed his swing, cutting straight through where Jin had been only a moment before.

“Fan?” Rex asked, glancing down at her body. Her Core Crystal had nearly been cut straight in half, and the light had faded from it. She didn’t dissolve like the Tornan Blades had, but there was no life left in her.

“Jin!” He screamed, turning his sword to the man in question. “Why?” Jin opened his mouth to speak. Without warning, Rex unleashed a dozen blasts from his sword, all perfectly aimed to block Jin’s escape routes. His foresight assured him of it. Despite that, Jin weaved around them all with ease, again moving much faster than Mythra had predicted.

“Let me ask you this.” Jin replied, walking forward. As he did, the others backed up. Only Rex and Mythra stood fast. “Blades are granted phenomenal power from our creator on high, yet we are doomed to never remember. Why? The accumulation of memories is what allows mankind… No, all life to grow. Change. Evolve. But Blades are fleeting. When we return to our cores, our memories are lost. Our growth snatched away, forever!”

“People aren’t so different.” Rex spat back.

“Man’s life too has an end, yes. However, though each individual life is mortal, you pass on your memories, allowing you to grow. As a species, and as a culture. But Indol controls all the Core Crystals. By controlling the moment of every Blade’s birth, they enslave our entire kind. We have no culture because Indol decrees it. Because that’s what your kind do!” At this point, Jin and Rex stood face to face. “You bind and order, and we are forced to obey! Why are you the masters and we the slaves?”

“I don’t have an answer to that.” Rex said. “But it doesn’t mean you get to kill people as you please.”

“Talking to you is pointless.” Jin sighed. “Now that you’re here, there can be no turning back.” The white mist began to emanate from his body again. Suddenly, the air around him became much colder. Rex readied his sword for another strike. As Jin prepared to attack, his hands began to shake. Frantically, he backed up, clutching at his head with his free hand. He let out a guttural scream and began looking for escape routes.

“Now!” Zeke shouted, running forward to cut Jin down. “Let’s show this scumbag what’s what!” As he brought his sword down, a blast of ether flew at him from one of the Titan’s legs. He managed to block it with his sword, but it drove him back. From the blast jumped Akhos, wielding a Blade weapon resembling a great bow. It’s core, however, was similar to Cole’s, covered in dark red splotches.

“Malos sent me.” He said, slinging Jin’s arm over his shoulder. “Time to make an exit.”

“Who says we’re going to let you go?” Zeke asked.

“I wasn’t asking permission.” Akhos clenched his fist, and his bow’s core glowed. Another blast of ether fired from it, forcing Zeke back. Akhos swiftly spun in a circle, driving the entire group away from him. Right as the attack subsided, he leapt into the air, landing atop the Titan weapon’s thorax.

“That’s fighting dirty!” Zeke shouted. He and Rex aimed their swords at Akhos, but he was already jumping again. In no time at all, he was out of sight. With him gone, the group turned their attention to Fan.

“I knew we shouldn’t have brought her.” Mòrag shook her head. “I… I’m responsible for killing the Praetorium’s Goddess.”

“It’s not your fault.” Mythra said. “We would’ve all been dead by now if Fan wasn’t here. It seems Jin’s become even more powerful while I was asleep.”

“Jin.” Rex growled. He spun around and swung his sword, unleashing a torrent of ether at the nearby cliff. A primal scream tore from his mouth as he did. “I couldn’t do anything! I’m still just as weak as I’ve always-”

“You can feel sorry for yourself later.” Zeke said, grabbing his arm. “Right now, we’ve got to figure out how to stop a war.”

“It’s a little late for that.” Nia remarked, staring at the horizon. “I think the war’s already here.” The group turned to see what she was looking at. A dark cloud approached Temperantia from over the horizon.

“What is that?” Mòrag asked.

“Urayan navy!” Poppi said, her eyes adjusting to get a better look at them. “Hundreds of Titans!” Suddenly, the ground began rumbling again. They turned around to see Ardainian forces advancing from the opposite direction. Hundreds of walking Titans spreading out across Temperantia, backed up by a dozen Titan battleships.

“Shit!” Mòrag screamed. “Who gave that damn order!”

“At this point, they’re just following protocol.” Brighid sighed. “It’s all playing out just as Senator Roderich intended.”

“How do we stop this?” Nia asked.

“Mor Ardain attacked with no declaration of war.” Gramps shrugged. “I don’t think we can convince Uraya to stand down.”

“We did not attack.” Mòrag hissed. “Senator Roderich and his ilk are responsible.”

“They might not see much of a difference.”

“So, what, we just give up?” Nia asked. “I don’t buy that defeatist crap for a second. Mòrag, you go see if you can’t get your forces to back down, the rest of us will-”

“Uraya readying artillery” Poppi announced. “We need to hurry!”

“I’m going to the Urayans.” Nia said. Rex nodded. The two of them began to run toward one of the Titan’s legs, intent on sliding down it to the ground. Before they could move, however. Mythra put a hand on Rex’s shoulder.

“Look!” She said, pointing to the sky between the two fleets. Through the clouds, Indol flew over Temperantia. It put itself between the two armies and stretched out its wings, forcing some of the flying Titans back. From atop his tower, Amalthus surveyed the battlefield.


	7. Chapter 6 - Wounds

Jin opened his eyes as the ether stream from his Core Crystal finished constructing his body. He was crouched in the middle of a wooden bedroom. He looked up to see a young Tornan girl, frightened and huddled in a corner of the room. He felt immediately that this girl was his Driver. Slowly he stood and smiled at her.

“You little scamp!” A man shouted from the bed. He stood from the bed, startling the maid that was cleaning his room. “Do you know how much that core was worth?” He stomped over to the girl and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up from the ground. When she didn’t respond, he smacked her across the face.

“I stole it from the castle!” He spat. “Three years it took me to get it, and now…!” He turned to the table and grabbed a knife.

“No!” The maid shouted, grabbing the man’s arm. “Gort, please! She’s barely ten years old!”

“Shut up!” Gort threw her across the room, slamming her into a dresser. He turned back to the girl, knife drawn. She curled herself even harder into a ball. “If you die, it’ll be as good as new! You brought this on yourself!” He raised the knife into the air. Instantly Jin drew his sword and cut the man’s arm off. He screamed and fell to the ground. He looked between the girl and Jin for a moment before scurrying out the door. Jin walked over to the girl and crouched next to her.

“Don’t’ be afraid.” He said. “From now on, I’ll protect you.” She uncurled herself and looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “My name is Jin. What’s yours?” He offered her a hand, and she took it, standing to her feet.

“Lora.” She replied.

-

Jin opened his eyes. He was strapped in the usual chamber, glowing green ether surrounding him. He looked to his side to see Malos standing over the controls.

“It seems like sending Akhos was the right choice.” Malos said, opening the chamber’s hatch. It raised with a hiss, and Jin slowly climbed out. “Still, you picked a hell of a time to freeze up on us.”

“It won’t happen again.” Jin sighed.

“You’re damn right it won’t. I’m not sure you’ll live through another rejection. Your core’s integrity is stretched thin as it is.”

“There’s still time.” Jin wheezed, steadying himself on the chamber’s edge.

“Is dying part of your plan too?”

Jin thought for a moment. “What are we, in the end?”

“What?”

“Your hunger… Your thirst for destruction… Is that really your own?”

“Don’t get sentimental on me.” Malos groaned. “You’re starting to sound like a human.”

“I suppose.” Jin chuckled. “I just have the strangest feeling that our goal isn’t our own. That we’re just acting out their impulses. Destruction is humanity’s defining trait, after all.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Malos shrugged. “We both want the humans dead. That’s all there is to it. It won’t do you any good trying to understand that desire. It’s just a part of who we are.”

“I wonder…” Jin shook his head. “At any rate, we can’t back out now. Not when we’ve come this far. Soon, this’ll all be over.”

“That’s the spirit.” Malos slapped Jin on the shoulder as the two of them turned for the door. “Now let me catch you up on what happened while you were out.”

-

That night, Indol still flew precariously close to Temperantia. Up until then, its presence was the only thing preventing the two sides from devolving into all-out war. The armies had set up camp on either side of Temperantia, many more than would normally man the garrisons. They eyed each other, constantly ready to resume the fighting. The arrival of two Titan ships at the Indoline port only heightened the tensions. One was a pair of flying swordfish-shaped Titans carrying an ornate carriage gilded with the seal of the Urayan kingdom. The other was the largest battleship in the Ardainian navy. From these two ships, delegations disembarked.

The Urayan delegation was a stocky woman in a tan dress. She wore two necklaces, one of cut jade crystals set in silver rectangles and the other of circular rubies set in obsidian, a pair of pearl bracelets, and a golden crown. Her collar flared behind her into a scale-patterned fan, and her green hair took a similar shape. She scowled disapprovingly at the Ardainian ship as her escorts, a male and female pair of Urayan Drivers leading a platoon of Urayan soldiers, caught up with her. Their Blades stood behind them, each leading a column of six soldiers.

The man’s Blade was entirely covered in an armor of crystal laced with glowing lines of energy and black plates of polished metal. The crystal flared into shapes resembling flames at his elbows and formed a pair of crude wings on his back. His hair was bright red, almost glowing with energy. His face was studded with a pair of crystal formations resembling an Urayan’s facial scales at the base before flaring out into a pair of extravagant horns behind his head. The woman’s Blade was dark skinned and wore a white and blue dress with gold trimmings. Four translucent ribbons and a pair of segmented tassels hung from the back of her skirt, and they glowed with the same energy that formed lines across her limbs. Her hair was pure white, bundled into a ponytail behind her by a blue hairpiece rimmed with six silver spikes. She also wore a silver Tiara that held her Core Crystal, and had golden bands draped over her shoulders and wrists.

One of the Praetorium’s magistrates, flanked by a pair of Indoline monks, walked out onto the dock to greet them. He led them to the Inner Praetorium as Emperor Niall and Grand Marshall Robalt exited the battleship on the other side of the dock, Newt and Aegaeon in tow. They too were met by a magistrate, but he took them on an entirely separate path. The two delegations did not meet until they converged on a chamber of the Inner Praetorium, where Praetor Amalthus waited for them, sat at the head of a long table.

“Queen Raqura.” Amalthus smiled. “Emperor Niall. My deepest thanks to you for agreeing to this ceasefire.”

Without a word, the two rulers sat down opposite each other near the table’s head. The soldiers remained outside, but the Driver and Blade escorts stood at the shoulders of the respective charges. Quietly, Mòrag and Brighid slipped into the room and took their spot as Niall’s second escort.

“Correct me if I’m wrong.” Queen Raqura said. “But according to the Osirian Treaty, the Praetorium is to refrain from intervention during times of war. And yet here you are, intervening.”

“Naturally.” Amalthus replied. “But an official declaration of war has yet to be made. Unless either of you wish to do so…” He paused, waiting for a reply. None came. “Very well, we will continue. To ensure impartiality in these negotiations, I have invited witnesses. May I present Niranira, acting chairman of the Argentum Trade Guild.” He motioned to Niranira, who sat in a chair several seats form from Queen Raqura. “And representing the Tantalese, His Highness the Crown Prince Ozychlyrus Brounev Tantal.” As he spoke, Zeke entered the room and took the seat across Niranira.

“The prodigal prince of Tantal?” One of Raqura’s escorts muttered. “Well I’ll be.”

“Furthermore.” Amalthus continued. “As this is a delicate matter, I have requested additional security. Two Drivers of the Garfont Mercenaries have agreed to serve as head of security for the duration of the negotiations.” He motioned to Yew and Zuo, standing by the room’s entrance with Finch, Gorg, Roc, and the monstrous Blade Vandham recovered from the arachno in Uraya. “I trust their reputation for impartiality should proceed them.”

“Of course.” Niall nodded. “They have been useful in helping me deal with sensitive matters in the past, and I’m sure Her Highness could say the same. I recognize these witnesses as presented.”

“As do I.” Queen Raqura huffed.

“Excellent.” Amalthus clasped his hands together. “Then shall we commence with negotiations?”

-

While negotiations began, Mikhail and Patroka stood above the port. They surveyed both the activity on the Titan ships and the soldiers in Temperantia below.

“What a spectacle.” Mikhail shook his head. “The Praetor has just as much clout as ever. And this place hasn’t changed a bit.”

“This seems like an awfully big job to leave to that Nopon.” Patroka sighed. “Could we not just take them out here and now?”

“And risk a run in with the Aegis?” Akhos asked, approaching the pair from behind. “We still need her to open the way to the World Tree. If she catches wind of our plan, wiping out humanity won’t mean much. That’s the easy part, after all.”

“I just don’t feel comfortable relying on that Driver. Of all the scum we could throw our lot in with, it had to be him.”

“I don’t like it myself, but these are Jin’s orders.”

“So we’re really going to do this?” Mikhail muttered.

“Was there ever any doubt?”

“I guess not.” He sighed. “It’s just that… I don’t know, something feels off.”

“It’s the nerves.” Patroka said, slapping him on the shoulder. “Get over it.”

“You’ll feel better once the stage is properly set.” Akhos nodded. “When the Aegis opens the path to the World Tree, we can finally make our move. We’ll finally be able to kill the Architect.”

-

Bana wandered through the crowded refugee camp, stripped of all his clothing and jewelry. He shuddered every time someone looked in his direction, unable to bear their unsightly appearances. Just when he thought it wouldn’t get any worse, a Gormotti man singled him out.

“Well I’ll be! If it isn’t Don!” The man shouted, running up to Bana. The man was in his late thirties, but that was hard to tell from his appearance. He was shirtless, exposing his well-built physique, and had his auburn hair slicked back into spikes. He wore black armored gauntlets and had draped the bottom half of a red waistcoat around his armored leggings. His gauntlets turned into metal casings further up his arms, and that metal fused itself with the man’s body when it reached his shoulders and chest, covering his neck and parts of his upper torso. Behind the man stood a Blade. He was a young blonde man with a blue, gold trimmed tunic and burgundy pants. His boots were tipped with glowing blue crystals, and he had a scarf of raven feathers wrapped around his neck. On his back were sheathed a pair of uchigatanas, and around his neck hung a silver pendant.

“You.” Bana frowned.

“Don’t be like that, Don!” The man grabbed Bana’s arm. “We haven’t seen each other in ages, let’s catch up a little.” Swiftly, he dragged Bana into a nearby tent. It was one of the larger tents in the area. Inside were a cloaked Ardainian man sitting on one of the beds and a second Blade standing guard above him. This one was a woman with pale white skin and hair done in long pigtails with a black bow. Her dress was primarily black frills, accented with lighter shades of gray and pink. He leggings and arm guards were lined with faint blue and green zig-zag stitching, and her dress flared out in a jagged white skirt. A tattered black cape fluttered behind her at her waist. As soon as Bana and the Gormitt man were inside, the man’s smile faded.

“I assume you have reason for dragging me into this dirty hole.” Bana scoffed.

“Yeah, I’ve got a reason.” The man snarled. “A pretty good reason, too. You’re a wanted criminal, you daft twit. You can’t just go walking around in full view of the monks. They’re bound to recognize you sooner or later.”

“Bana appreciates concern, but I-”

“Bana.” Senator Roderich spat, throwing his hood off and interrupting the Nopon. “You lying weasel.” He stood and grabbed Bana by his fur. “You threw me to the dogs for Torna? I knew you liked money, but this is a new low.”

“Torna made bigger offer.” Bana said, shrugging off Roderich’s grasp. “Maybe Senator should have considered how much Artificial Blades meant to him before offering Bana such lowball price.”

“You threw the whole damned plan out of whack!” Roderich shouted. The Gormotti man shot him a glare, and he quieted down again. “I have the entire Ardainian guard after me. Most of my men have abandoned me. We can’t contact our Brionac forces or out replacement for Praetor. That plan took years to put together. Slowly bleeding men and resources from the army to form Brionac. Finding the Artificial Blade maker and his son to make us our army. Convincing the Senate to fund the Judicium expedition to make up for our military losses. Dancing to the Emperors idiotic tune of cooperation with Uraya. All of it up in smoke because you couldn’t keep it in your pants. Your father wouldn’t have-”

“Don Dondon is gone.” Bana scowled. “Lindwurm deals with me now. Should get that through thick head of yours.”

“Well, what now?” The Gormotti asked. “We can’t kill the Praetor while that brat’s still on the Ardainian throne.”

“Obviously, we wait until the negotiations are over.” Roderich said. “Then we take out the Emperor and his entourage, blame it on the Urayans, and restart the war. We’ll need to kill Mòrag and her “friends” too. Can’t risk them exposing us after I try to grab power. We’ll use Brionac to support my claim to the throne and take out anyone who opposes us in the capital.”

“No.” Bana shook his head. “We must strike during negotiations. Create the most chaos.”

“Too risky.” The blonde Blade shook his head. “Even if it’s us, we’ll be going up against at least half a dozen Blades and Drivers, maybe more, not to mention the Indoline monks. We’ll also have to eliminate several more targets, as we can’t leave witnesses to contradict our side of the story.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Corvin?” The Gormotti asked, slapping Corvin on the back. “We’ve taken more Drivers on before, haven’t we?”

“None of them were the Flamebringer.” The female Blade said, shaking her head. “Or Thunderbolt Zeke. The Garfont bozos we can handle, but them… Well I’m not optimistic.”

“For once, I agree with Vale.” Corvin nodded.

“Not to mention we need to take out the Aegis’s Driver before out plan goes into effect.” Senator Roderich sighed. “He knows my face.”

“Is not immediate problem.” Bana shrugged. “Rex can be dealt with after. In the meantime, you can have stooge assume throne in your place.”

“I say we strike now.” The Gormotti man said. “Everyone’s gathered in the Inner Praetorium, right? It’ll be tight, but we couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.”

“No, we don’t strike during today’s negotiations.” Bana smirked. “Uraya bound to request that negotiations be finalized without Indol present. Only non-Indoline location they can do that on short notice is inside Titan battleship of Mor Ardain. Same Titan battleship that confiscated remaining shipments from factory.”

“We’ll have an army of Blade Bots to work with, if we can reach them.” Roderich muttered.

“We’ll have significantly more than that.”

“I’m liking this plan more and more by the minute.” Roderich raised his head and returned Bana’s smirk. “If we strike while the Praetor isn’t present, that’ll mean no monks will be either. The only issue will be getting to the Praetor. We actually need him dead if we want to blame the Urayans for assassinating him.”

“Leave that to T-elos.” Another Blade said, striding through the tent flap. “She is the most capable of my servants. A few monks will pose little trouble for her.” This blade was a man with pale skin and black hair draped over one blue and black eye. He wore a patchwork of golden armor, glowing crystals, and a blue cloth drape. On one shoulder was a black and red cape that dropped to the floor, connecting to a cray collar that came up nearly to his eye level. He carried himself with the demeanor of a king, and on top of his head sat a lopsided golden crown.

“Dagas.” The Gormotti man commented. “So nice of you to join us. Where are the others?”

“T-elos has taken up a position in the Inner Praetorium and awaits further orders.” Dagas replied. “Zenobia is-” Before he could finish, another Blade crashed into him, knocking him into Corvin and the Gormitt and sending all three of them rolling across the ground.

“Sorry.” Zenobia said, standing to her feet. “Got carried away.” She had large, white hair with two blue horns protruding from her forehead and green eyes. She wore a white dress that exposed her midriff, and a set of green-striped gold bangles around her wrists and ankles. Her dress flared out in all directions at her waist, and her leg and arm coverings had spiraling strips of cloth removed. She wore a blue rope belt around her waist, and a thick black collar around her neck. A golden ball hovered just behind her, with a golden mechanical arch suspended underneath it. A long white cloth floated around her head.

“How have you not been caught yet?” Roderich asked, looking between the gaggle of Blades and shaking his head.

“We’re posing as mercenaries on a long-term job for some refugees.” The Gormotti man chuckled. “Volunteer work, as long as they feed and shelter us. Rather nice setup. It lets my men move around freely, and I’ve got a complete set of fake Blade registration numbers in case the monks come calling.”

“Bana hire professionals.” Bana smiled. “Though it is a shame the best are often tedious to accommodate.”

“I’ll choose to ignore that.” The man said. “Zenobia, what were you doing anyway.”

“Racing me.” Yet another Blade said as she stepped through the tent flap. She resembled a porcelain doll, with black hair pulled back into a bun and a purple dress draped over pure white skin. Much of her dress and body were covered in floral patterns, and she had a brass cage that hung around her dress attached to a furnace in her abdomen burning blue flames. One of her arms was also made of a brass skeleton filled with blue crystal, and the face around her left eye was missing, exposing a mechanical construct underneath.

“And you lost again, Azami!” Zenobia shot back. “You should really stop trying to challenge me!”

“You’re the one who insisted.” Azami shook her head and put an arm around the Gormotti man. “Honestly, I don’t know why you bother with her, dear.”

“Take your lovey-dovey shit somewhere else.” Vale said. “You’re making me sick.”

“I give the orders around here.” Dagas huffed. “Lady Azami is free to conduct herself however she pleases.”

“Can we please get back to the task at hand?” Corvin asked. “We’ve got to plan a-”

“Hey Corvin, let’s fight!” Zenobia said, getting up in Corvin’s face. “I swear I’ll beat you this time!”

“This is why I sent you all out on patrol.” The Gormotti man sighed as the bickering continued. “QUIET!” He shouted, breaking his otherwise composed demeanor. Instantly his Blades all fell in line. “Good. Now we’ve had a slight change in plans. T-elos handles the Praetor. The rest of us focus on hitting that Titan battleship. We’ll need to scout it out before making our move, and I’ll need to know where exactly the extended negotiations will take place.”

“And what about the Aegis’s Driver?” Vale asked. “If he catches wind of our plan, he could mess everything up.”

“We have him tailed.” Senator Roderich suggested. “We make sure he’s not in the vicinity when we make our move. We can deal with him after the others are dead.”

“I have a better idea.” The last Blade said, waltzing into the tent. Most of his face was red, but his lower jaw was black. The rest of his body was varying shades of purple, blue, and black armor all blended together. He wore heavy metal spiked boots and white ropes wrapped around his upper thighs. He had vents along his limbs, constantly emitting small jets of flame. His eyes were jet black with small orange pinpricks for pupils, and he had black fangs protruding from his jawline up toward his forehead. On his head he wore a red helmet that extruded into a spike on either side. The back of the helmet was four smaller spikes that stood straight up, and on the front was a blue circular crystal. On his shoulder was a tattered banner, draped nearly to the floor and soaked through with blood. At his waist was a sheathed katana. In one hand he held a gourd full of sake. And in the other he held Mark by the head.

“Let-!” Mark began to shout. The Blade swiftly threw him at Vale, who covered his mouth and bound his hands.

“Perceval, who is this?” The Gormotti man asked.

“Found him eavesdropping on your conversation.” Perceval answered. “I recognized him from the infirmary. A day or two ago he was chumming it up with the Aegis Driver. I’ve a hunch they’re old pals.”

“What do we do with him?” Azami asked. “He looks so sweet I could just eat him up.”

“I don’t think now’s the time or place.” Corvin sighed. “But if he heard our plan, we can’t let him leave here.” Corvin began to draw one of his swords, and Mark began to panic. Roderich, however, reached out to stop him.

“Perceval, you’ve outdone yourself.” Roderich smiled. “I believe this should be sufficient insurance in case the Aegis Driver makes an appearance.”

“Good.” Bana nodded. “Then tie him up. We’ve got work to do.”

“Bradly, recall your men.” Roderich said. “We’ll need to begin preparations immediately.”

“Roger that.” Bradly, the Gormotti man, smirked. “The Bloody Lobsters are at your service.”

-

“Now it seems Mor Ardain has been accused of a unilateral breech of treaty in this matter.” Amalthus said. “Emperor Niall, I open the floor to you. Is there anything you wish to say?”

“We are still conducting investigations into the cause.” Niall replied. “But it cannot be denied that many Urayan soldiers lost their lives yesterday. Regardless of any possible reason or circumstance, we are prepared to offer recompense for this grave tragedy.”

“You want to settle this with money?” Queen Raqura asked.

“We will provide any compensation deemed necessary.”

“It sounds to me like you’re implying that the blame for this massacre does not lie with Ardainian military.”

“The weapon did not belong to the Ardainian military.” Mòrag explained. “It was illegally excavated by a group of traitors and fielded by a deserter from Brionac.”

“You’re pinning this on that little band of marauders?”

“I have brought with me an imperial decree that shows I ordered the excavation halted.” Niall held out his hand, and Grand Marshall Robalt placed in it a sealed parchment. He passed it to Queen Raqura.

“And what is this supposed to change?” She asked. “Nearly seven hundred Urayan soldiers lost their lives to that monstrosity, and your entire garrison sat idly by and let it happen. Or do you mean to tell me they were all traitors as well?”

“We’re still investigating that.” Niall sighed. “But I can assure you that we will take all necessary steps to punish those who were complicit in this.”

“Unbelievable.” Queen Raqura scoffed. “I lose half of my Temperantian forces, and you think you can get off with a slap on the wrist? I demand justice, Emperor Niall.”

“We’re currently searching for the criminals responsible as we speak. Rest assured, they will be tried for their crimes.”

“And I’m supposed to accept that? A citizen of your empire knowingly unleashed a weapon excavated by your forces against my garrison. You can’t change that by declaring their actions criminal after the fact.”

“The Brionac traitors that did this should be the least of your worries.” Zeke chuckled. “What we should concern ourselves with is who organized the attack.”

“Senator Roderich?” Mòrag asked. “We’re searching for him now. It’s only a matter of time before he’s caught.”

“Not the stooge.” Zeke shook his head. “I’m talking about the real masterminds of the plot. Torna.” Mòrag shot him a quizzical look but didn’t say anything.

“The terrorist organization?” Queen Raqura asked. “How could they possibly command that measure of-”

“It’s the truth. Two of their members attacked us just after we disabled the weapon. I, Ozychlyrus, swear this in the name of King Eulogimenos Tantal.”

“Can confirm ex-Chairman Bana give these people some kind of supplies.” Niranira said. “Military supplies, methinks. And in great number, yes.”

“Even so.” Queen Raqura said. “I hardly see how this changes the facts.”

“It changes a great deal.” Zeke continued. “Torna aims to start a war between your two nations. I know what happened in Temperantia was a great tragedy, but fighting amongst ourselves only benefits them in the long run.”

“Why would Torna want a war?”

“Because they mean to repeat the horrors of five centuries past.” Amalthus sighed. “I had hoped it was not true, but the evidence now seems incontrovertible.”

“Evidence?” Emperor Niall asked. “For what?”

“It appears the Dark Aegis, a Blade named Malos, has returned.”

“Preposterous.” Queen Raqura scoffed.

“For once, we are in agreement.” Emperor Niall said. “Special Inquisitor Mòrag has been tracking these criminals for some time. If this were true, she’d have found some proof.”

“I haven’t confronted him in person.” Zeke said. “But there is someone who has.” He motioned to the monks, and they opened the doors. Mythra walked in and stood at the foot of the table. For a long moment, no one spoke. Raqura and Niall both studied her, coming to the same conclusion.

“That Core Crystal.” Queen Raqura muttered. “So you’re the Aegis? Who is your Driver?”

“If you knew that, I daresay your surprise would be even greater. But that is not the matter we are here to discuss, Your Highness. This is a dire situation.”

“That’s putting it lightly.” Mythra said. “Malos is alive, and he’s using Torna to build his army. He wants to finish what he started with the Aegis War. This crisis we’re dealing with right now is just the beginning. It’s only a matter of time before he goes on the offensive.”

“Well…” Queen Raqura frowned. She exchanged looks with her attendants. Both bore grave expressions. “What can we do?”

“Malos wants a war. We can’t give it to him. Whatever it takes, the two of you need to set aside your differences and focus on keeping the peace.”

“I am… prepared to do whatever is necessary.” Niall nodded. “But this is an Aegis we’re talking about. The Dark Aegis. If the legends are to be believed, the price paid to defeat him was monstrously high, and you’re saying he still managed to survive. How do we defeat him now?”

“He’s an Aegis, true. But you wouldn’t know if from how he’s been fighting. I think he’s damaged in some way.”

“You mean he can’t use the full extent of his powers?” One of Queen Raqura’s escorts asked.

“The wounds I dealt him during our battle over Torna may not be completely healed. So he won’t risk open warfare until he can repair himself. I think he intends to go back to where he was born and restore himself.”

“You don’t mean… He means to go to Elysium?” Queen Raqura asked.

“Precisely. Malos means to wipe out humanity. If Malos is allowed to restore himself, he could very well succeed.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

“It seems to be a deep seeded desire, for him. As natural as breathing.”

“This is my responsibility.” Amalthus said.

“Because you were once Malos’s Driver?” Niall asked. “If I remember my history correctly, you could not control the Dark Aegis’s power.”

“Precisely. I was a fool, and the world paid the price. It was to prevent such foolishness that I forbade passage to the World Tree after the Aegis War. But it has become apparent that the laws of men to not apply to Malos. The time may have come to lift that restriction.”

“With all do respect, Your Eminence, I did not come here to discuss Malos.” Queen Raqura sighed. “I am here because my men deserve justice. The Aegis’s warning is too important to overlook, so I will order my forces to stand down. We will not play into this Malos’s hand. But…” She locked eyes with Emperor Niall. “I will have a duty to my people, and I will see it through. Tomorrow, we will meet to renegotiate the terms of the Osirian Treaty. Without the Praetorium’s interference.”

“I am prepared to do what is necessary for peace, Your Highness.” Emperor Niall said as he stood from his chair. “I shall also recall my forces. Might I suggest we continue these negotiations on my Titan ship?”

“Very well.” Queen Raqura also stood. “In the meantime, make sure your men find those responsible for this massacre. They took Urayan lives, and I demand they face Urayan justice.”

“A reasonable request. The Special Inquisitor will give the task her undivided attention. I look forward to discussing this further with you tomorrow.” With that, both delegations turned to leave. Yew and Zuo followed them out, escorting them back to their ships by separate paths. Very soon, only Zeke, Mythra, Niranira, and Amalthus were left in the room.

“I must say.” Amalthus commented. “A very stunning performance from the three of you. It seems we have managed to avoid a war, for the time being.”

“It was hardly a performance.” Zeke shrugged. “We stretched the truth a little, but we know Bana had dealings with both Torna and these Brionac deserters. It’s not too hard to connect the dots. I wouldn’t be surprised if Torna were behind the attack in some way.”

“Niranira have basic grasp of situation, methinks.” Niranira said. “Happy to help if it means preserving peace. War is often bad for long term business.”

“Yes, well. You should probably accompany them. We’ll need at least one person in the know at their negotiations, in case Mòrag lets the truth slip. And I don’t think the Queen will want me or Mythra around.”

“Niranira understand.” Niranira nodded. “Niranira will go make sure Special Inquisitor understands our situation as well.” With that, he left the room. After a moment, so did Zeke. Amalthus stood to leave as well.

“Don’t think you’ve earned my trust.” Mythra said as he walked past her.

“I am offering you the path to Elysium.” He replied. “I don’t much care whether you trust me beyond that, so long as you do what you’ve set out to do.”

“I’m not going there to defeat Malos, you know. You won’t be rid of him that easily.”

“I know. But your paths are bound to cross, are they not? I’m sure you’ll do the right thing, when the time comes.”

“Is he why you awakened Haze, too?”

“Indol came under attack from Torna on several occasions. Her power dissuaded them from further attempts.”

“And yet you don’t have any other Blades.”

“Driver though I may be, I am no fighter. You of all people should know that. Fan la Norne deals with Torna, and I find the warrior monks are more than enough to handle all other threats.”

“If you say so.” Mythra sighed. “But I’ve got one other question. Do you know why Torna are using the name of a dead country?”

“Jin was a Blade of Torna once. Loyalty or nostalgia, who can say? Perhaps both?”

“I feel like there’s more to it than that. But I don’t know much about what happened while I slept. There don’t seem to be many written records.”

“History is a murky thing.” Amalthus mused. “Only those who were present can truly know what happened.”

“But you were one of those present.”

“And that is why I offer you my cooperation. But we can discuss this with the rest of your friends later. In the meantime, I have a funeral to prepare for.”

-

A large crowd had gathered in the courtyard outside the Inner Praetorium. Nearly half the city was in attendance, many carrying flowers or other trinkets. Most were barely holding back tears. One by one, citizens came forward and laid their offerings on a large altar in front of Fan’s coffin. Amalthus stood behind it, delivering Fan’s eulogy. Rex watched the proceedings from the back of the courtyard, his fists clenched. Nia, Mythra, Dromarch, Tora, and Poppi all stood against the wall behind him. None of them wanted to approach him like this.

“I guess they did call her a Goddess.” Nia commented, stroking Dromarch’s fur. “The state funeral makes sense.” She glanced over at Mythra. “Shouldn’t you be with him?”

“What am I supposed to say?” Mythra asked. “I wasn’t much comfort at the last funeral we attended.”

“I expected you’d be more clingy.” Nia chuckled. “You really are different from her.”

“Actually, letting him be was more her idea than mine.”

“Really? Get out.” Nia shook her head. “So… Wait, are you saying you want to go be clingy, or what?”

“I’ll burn you.” Mythra raised a hand in Nia’s direction.

“I kid, I kid!” Nia protested. “Sheesh.” The two of them returned to standing in silence for a moment. “It’s weird, though. Why hasn’t Fan returned to her Core Crystal? Why did she leave a corpse behind?”

“I’ve been wondering that myself.” Mythra sighed. “Being a Flesh Eater is the only way I know for a dead Blade to keep its physical form.”

“But Fan’s no Flesh Eater.”

“There’s still something different about her.” Mythra held up her fingers in a diamond shape. “When I knew Fan during the Aegis War, this was the shape of her Core Crystal.”

“But now it’s a triangle…” Nia muttered. “Is it split, like with you and Rex?”

“I don’t think so…” Mythra shook her head. “Rex and I have a unique situation. I gave him part of my life force, and the Core Crystal followed suit as a result. But with Fan… it feels more like her core was stolen, somehow.” As Mythra spoke, a pair of monks placed a lid over Fan’s casket and lifted it into the air. They began to carry it through the city, a parade of citizens following them. Amalthus, however, returned to the Inner Praetorium. Rex and the others followed him.

-

When they arrived in the sanctuary, they found the Praetor conducting another ceremony. Dozens of Core Crystals floated in a double helix in front of him, stretching from floor to ceiling. Small motes of ether floated out of the cores and into Amalthus’s forehead. After a moment, he opened his eyes, and the cores floated to the ground.

“My apologies.” He said, turning to face the group. “My duties piled up somewhat while I was organizing the ceasefire. Did I keep you waiting?”

“No.” Rex shook his head.

“What is it you were doing?” Nia asked. “Your Eminence?”

“I was cleansing the Core Crystals.” Amalthus explained. “It markedly increases their resonance success rate. When I became Malos’s Driver, this power was awakened in me.”

“Fascinating stuff.” Rex said. “But we need to talk about our next move.”

“I take it you still intend to climb the World Tree?”

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.” Zeke said. “Mythra said Malos was wounded and intends to heal himself in Elysium. If that’s the case, shouldn’t we be more focused on taking Torna out? After all, they’re in the same position as us. If we open the path to the World Tree, we’re just begging for Malos to beat us to the punch.”

“Jin alone is powerful enough that I’m not sure I can take him.” Mythra said. “Torna aren’t just going to roll over.”

“But neither are we.” Rex said. “I failed to protect Fan, but I’m not about to let more people die when I can do something about it. Torna needs to be stopped.”

“Perhaps there is a way for you to do both at once.” Amalthus said. He reached into his sleeve and withdrew a parchment. He handed it to Rex. “I want you to serve as a special envoy to Tantal. These documents should suffice.”

“What’s in Tantal?”

“The way to open the World Tree. And a weapon that may be of use to you. You tried to climb the World Tree once already, so you’ve seen the Great Void.”

“That massive gap in the clouds.” Nia commented. “Yeah, we’ve been there.”

“Then you must also have seen its creator. The Artifice Ophion, servant of the Aegis.”

“Ophion was one of Mythra’s Artifices?” Rex asked.

“It was.” Mythra nodded. “But it fell during the final battle with Malos. I was wondering who revived it. So Tantal has control of it now?”

“Yes.” Amalthus said. “At my request, they gave Ophion one directive: To ensure that none approach the World Tree. To that end, Ophion carved the Great Void out of the surrounding clouds.”

“How did Tantal manage a feat like that?”

“They obtained an artifact capable of controlling Ophion and have kept it sealed away since they gave it that first order.”

“It’s called the Omega Fetter.” Zeke said. “It’s guarded by the royal family. I know where its sealed, so I can take you to it.”

“Tora confused.” Tora said. “Tora know friends want to go to Elysium. But if we open path to World Tree, Torna could get more powerful, right? They already too powerful as is.”

“If we don’t do anything, it’s only a matter of time before Malos gets to Elysium anyway.” Mythra said. “If we can get to the Omega Fetter, so can Torna. Getting Ophion out of the way is no doubt one of the reasons they wanted me alive in the first place.”

“One of?” Rex asked.

“There is another Artifice in Elysium, called Aion. It’s much more powerful than either Siren or Ophion, but it needs both Malos and I to activate it. If Malos gets to it first, wiping out all life on Alrest will be like child’s play for him.”

“That’s even more reason we should be careful.”

“I think you’d stand a better chance against Torna with two Artifices than with one.” Amalthus said. “And Mythra just said Malos can’t activate Aion by himself, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. You should not be intimidated into relinquishing your original goal by Malos and his ilk. If you do indeed cross paths with them, I am confident you’ll be able to deal with them as an Aegis Driver.”

“We just have to stop Malos from repairing himself, yeah?” Nia asked. “Should be simple enough.”

“I hope you’re right.” Rex sighed.

“I hesitate to do this, after shouldering you with the burden of defeating Torna, but I have a request.” Amalthus said. “For when you finally do reach Elysium. I ask that you inform me of what you find there. Do it as a favor for a once foolish old man. And so that people may have a future in this dying world.”

“Alright.” Rex nodded. “We’ll go to Elysium. And we’ll stop Torna. You have my word.”

-

Back in their rooms, the group prepared for the journey ahead. They were all gathered around Zeke as he walked them through the path they were going to take.

“We can reach Tantal by ship.” Zeke explained. “But once we’re there, we’ll need to do a spot of walking.”

“So we’re traveling with Shellhead, then.” Nia commented. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“I think you’ll find I make a fantastic ally.”

“Luck of Zeke not so great.” Tora frowned. “Bet we shipwrecked by tomorrow.”

“Hahaha.” Zeke said, striking a pose at Tora. “Cheeky furball!”

“We’re all gonna die.” Nia sighed.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Rex shrugged. “But Zeke, I’ve got to ask… You said before that Torna concerned you too. What’d you mean by that?”

“Well, I don’t know about those clowns.” Zeke said. “But Torna, the country that fell during the Aegis War, was the homeland of us Tantalese. The royal family are all descended from Addam, Mythra’s previous Driver.”

“He escaped to Tantal?” Mythra asked. “This is news to me.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it as well.” Dromarch said. “I have studied much history, but this story never featured. Most peculiar.”

“We’re humble.” Zeke explained. “Don’t really like to brag about it.” He drew a knife from his belt and pointed the handle toward Dromarch. “The only real trace left is in this here sigil of the royal family.” Patterned on the knife’s handle was the same symbol as on the door that Pyra was sealed behind. Mythra studied it and frowned.

“It doesn’t seem like something he’d do.” Mythra said. “But… I guess it doesn’t matter at this point. All that matters is that we get to Tantal before Malos and Jin do.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Rex asked. “Let’s get going.”

“Not now.” Mythra shook her head. “I don’t think any of us have gotten a wink of sleep since yesterday. We’re in no shape to travel. Let’s rest up and head out in the morning.”

“Hard to argue with that.” Pandoria said, turning for the door. “We’ll be by to pick you guys up later.”

“Fine.” Rex sighed, flopping down on one of the beds. “We’ll go tomorrow.”

-

Rex swam through the Cloud Sea in his dive suit, headlamps shining into the darkness. To his right, Spraine swam ahead of him. The two approached the remains of a Titan ship’s undercarriage. The C.S.E.V. Thunderhead, lost at sea months ago. Like most Titan shipwrecks, the Titan’s corpse was still buoyant enough that it floated only a few hundred peds below the surface.

Spraine motioned for Rex to swim around to its far side as he unclipped the airbag from his back. Their own Titan ship didn’t have any crane support, so they were using heavy duty helium balloons to drag the ship to the surface. Spraine anchored his bag to the side of the carriage, and Rex hurried to do the same. Once it was secure, he pulled the chord and swam back. The airbag shed its weights and began to inflate. Spriane’s did the same, and the wreck began to rise from the depths. After a few dozen peds, however, it snagged. The Titan corpse was heavier than anticipated.

Spraine swam down toward the anchor points, metal straps tying the carriage to the Titan’s back, and began cutting through them with a handheld blowtorch. Rex didn’t have one of his own, but he swam to the nearest anchor point to see what he could do to help. He pulled a crowbar from his belt and began prying away at the bolts connecting two sections of the strap. After a few swings and some pulling, they came free. He moved onto the next strap, but before he could start on it, something above him broke loose. The carriage began to sink in front of his eyes, still attached to the Titan by a few straps. Rex looked up to see that his helium balloon had torn free. He’d anchored it improperly, and it had torn off a section of the carriage’s hull.

Frantically, Rex swam up as Spraine worked to cut the remaining straps. He reached for the section of the hull, hoping to drag it back down to the wreck and reattach the balloon. He grabbed on but wasn’t heavy enough. He hooked his boots into the hull section and turned, firing his anchor into the side of the wreck below. He tried to reel himself back down but couldn’t find traction. Eventually, the piece of the hull he’d anchored to broke as well. Before he could unhook his anchor, the sheet of metal flew toward him. It caught him in the face, cracking his visor and knocking him unconscious.

He came too sometime later. He hung from his boots, still anchored to the section of hull attached to the balloon. His head floated several dozen peds above the Cloud Sea and was sinking slowly back toward the surface. Spraine and the Titan ship they’d come in on were nowhere to be found. Rex swung himself up and grabbed the edge of the hull. He unhooked his boots and clambered onto the top of the metal sheet. He unsealed his mask and threw it back.

“Hey!” He shouted. “Spraine! You out there?!” Judging by the sun’s position, it hadn’t been long since the salvage began. So even though he couldn’t see Spraine, he couldn’t have drifted far. He continued to shout for a few more minutes before giving up.

“Rex!” He heard a voice call back to him over the horizon. He shot up and squinted into the distance. After a moment, he saw Gramps descend from the clouds. He sighed and slumped back down as Gramps landed in the water.

“Well, this certainly is fortuitous.” Gramps said, swimming up next to Rex.

“What’re you doing here?” Rex asked.

“Looking for you, of course. Your friends at the Guild told me you were working a job in this area. And just as I was starting my search, I hear you calling out. What manner of trouble have you landed yourself into this time?”

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“You’re a few dozens peds away from drowning in uncharted waters with no one coming to rescue you, and still you choose to give me this attitude.”

“Spraine’ll come get me when he’s done with the salvage.” Rex shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”

“Somehow I doubt that. There’s not a ship around for a hundred Titanpeds. This Spraine fellow seems to have abandoned you.”

“Well he wouldn’t be the first.” Rex glared at Gramps.

“Get on.” Gramps smiled. “I can at least take you back to the Guild.”

“You’re not here to drag me back to Fonsett? Corrine didn’t send you after me?”

“Oh, she sent me. Had some rather choice words for the both of us, too. But I’m not her errand boy. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to.”

“And if I don’t want your help getting back to the Guild?”

“I’ll stick around. You’re bound to change your mind once the Cloud Sea starts lapping at your heels. So save us both the trouble and just get on.”

Rex rolled his eyes and stood up. Gramps lowered his head a fraction, and Rex slid down his neck onto his back, like he used to when he was a kid.

“This isn’t the part where you take off for Leftheria, is it?” Rex asked.

“Have a little faith. From what I heard at the Guild you’ve made something of a name for yourself. Far be it for me to take that away from you.”

“I suppose I have been climbing the ranks. Important enough that Chairman Bana decided to offer me a job.”

“I’m glad you seem to have found your calling. As long as you’re happy where you are.”

“So now you care?”

“You can be angry at me all you want, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop caring about you. Corrine and I worked hard to raise you after what happened. You could respect that, if nothing else.”

“What happened? You let my village burn, that’s what happened.”

“I know! You don’t think it tears me up inside, too? Knowing I could have done something more to help?”

“You had every opportunity to help. But you chose to do nothing.”

“I chose to uphold my duty as village guardian. I bear a heavy responsibility.”

“Oh yeah, a heavy burden alright. One you can just shake off anytime you feel like, apparently. Why didn’t your duties stop you from coming all the way out here to bother me?”

“Because I told myself I wasn’t going to fail you again!” Gramps shouted. “I already let your parents die, what kind of a guardian would I be if I let you die too?”

“Gramps, I…”

“If I have to choose between my duty as village guardian or your guardian, I choose you. Hate me all you want. It isn’t going to change the fact that you’re my family.”

“Gramps…” Rex sighed. “Sorry. I’m just… frustrated. The Chairman offered me my big break, and I blew it. I’m thirty thousand in the hole on this job, to boot. I don’t know how I’m going to show my face in the Guild after this. I’ll have to start from scratch.”

“Well, I can’t do much about your job. But, if you need money, I know a handy way to cut costs. Why don’t you live on my back for a while, at least until you’re back on your feet? I guarantee it’ll beat having to pay rent.”

“You’d do that?”

“Did you not listen to a single thing I just said? I’m here to look after you, whether you like it or not. So quit your moping.”

“Alright.” Rex chuckled. “It’s… It’s good to see you again, Gramps.”

“Likewise.” Gramps smiled. “Now… Pardon me for being frank, but how exactly did this job put you in debt?”

“The Chairman offered to find someone for me. The pay for the job didn’t cover all the expenses, so… Well you get the picture.”

“I believe I do.” Gramps sighed. “And this person you’re trying to find…?”

“Who do you think?”

“So you’re serious about this after all. Corrine told me you were trying to find them, but I didn’t want to believe it.”

“You think it’s a bad idea?”

“It’s a horrible idea. You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Your opinion is noted.”

“What’s your plan for if you find them, anyway?”

“I’m going to stop them.”

“All by yourself?”

“If I have to. They took the lives of dozens of innocent people, my parents included. I can’t just let that go. But knowing they’re still out there, probably inflicting that same pain on more people? That’s what gets me. I’m going to make sure they can’t hurt anyone, ever again.”

“So ominous.” Gramps shook his head. “If it’s what you really want, then I can’t stop you. But I’m not going to watch you kill yourself, either. From now on, we stick together, do you hear me? No wandering off on your own and getting into trouble like this.”

“I can live with that.” Rex smiled.

-

The next day, Queen Raqura and Niranira sat across a round wooden table from Emperor Niall and Mòrag. Just outside the room, Yew, Zuo, Grand Marshall Robalt, and Queen Raqura’s escorts all stood guard, their Blades ready.

“Shared sovereignty over Gormott?” Mòrag asked. “You must be joking.”

“I am quite serious, Special Inquisitor.” Queen Raqura frowned. “We lost an entire fleet at Temperantia. We will need dozens of new Titans and vast amount of raw material if we are to rebuild.”

“I am willing to allow you to establish a presence in unsettled territory.” Emperor Niall said. “But there will be conditions.”

“Such as?”

“You will establish one settlement, for now. You may put together a survey team to determine the ideal spot for your purposes, but they will do so with some measure of Ardainian supervision. And there will be a minimum distance your permanent settlements must maintain from existing Ardainian infrastructure.”

“Those are rather restrictive conditions.”

“Gormott is a large Titan. I’m confident you’ll find at least one location that should suit your needs.”

“If I am not satisfied, I will consider it a breach of the treaty. There would be consequences.”

“You are a woman of your word, Queen Raqura.” Emperor Niall smiled. “I would expect nothing less.”

“Now, onto other matters. How have you progressed on location the criminals?”

“Our entire garrison has been thoroughly vetted. All suspects have been detained for further questioning. The only conspirator we have yet to locate is-”

“Special Inquisitor!” A soldier shouted, bursting into the room. “I’ve got an urgent message for you.”

“I’m growing tired of these interruptions.” She sighed. “Very well. What is it?”

“Senator Roderich sends his regards.” The soldier drew a gun from his belt and aimed it at Mòrag’s head. Before he could fire, however, Niranira threw a knife into his neck. He clutched it for a moment before collapsing to the ground. Immediately, Mòrag drew her swords and placed herself in front of Niall as the security forces all converged on the room, weapons drawn.

“I take it this Senator Roderich is the man you have yet to locate.” Queen Raqura said, staring at the soldier’s body.

“It appears he has located us.” Niranira said. “It not safe here. Must evacuate immediately.”

“This way!” Yew said, poking his head through the door to check the corridors. “We’ll evacuate through the hangar.”

“Put everyone on standby!” Mòrag shouted as the Emperor and the Queen left the room, led by Yew and flanked on all sides by Drivers. “No one is to leave their posts without my express permission!”

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Zuo asked, bringing up the rear with Mòrag.

“A crowd of soldiers is only going to shield our attackers. If these traitors want to come at us, they’ll have to do it face to face.”

-

Mark sat on the floor of the tent, hands tied behind his back. Bradly and his men had taken off with Bana and the Senator earlier that morning, leaving him alone with just one guard. The man was a scrawny Urayan, but the gun he held in his hands prevented Mark from doing much of anything. Fortunately, the guard was drifting in and out of consciousness. There was also the issue of the folding knife that had fallen out of Bana’s pocket when they were hurrying to make their final preparations. Mark had knocked it underneath a nearby bed in the commotion. No one had noticed.

As the morning wore on, he crept over to the bed and slowly retrieved the knife. Careful not to make a sound, he extended the blade and began to saw through his bindings. It was dull, but it got the job done. With his hands free, Mark waited for the man to turn his head. Then he began to walk forward, knife drawn. He was going to plant it squarely in the man’s kneecap, easily exposed from where the man sat. Just as Mark reached him, he whipped his head around, his gun drawn.

Mark reacted instantly. He drove his knife into the man’s hand. The man let out a scream. The gun fell to the floor, and Mark kicked it across the tent. The man jumped for Mark, but he ran forward, scrambling just out of the man’s grasp. The man fell to the ground, and Mark ran. He tore out of the tent and through the camp. The man grabbed the gun and ran after him, firing shots into the crowd. Mark ducked his way through several more tents and saw the monks come running. He ran past them as they tackled the man to the ground and sprinted up the steps toward the rest of the city.

-

“We’ll need to head to the port.” Zeke explained as he led the group out of the Inner Praetorium that morning. “The Praetor should have a ship waiting for us there.”

“Tensions seem high.” Nia said, nodding to a group of nearby soldiers. Military personnel from both countries milled about nearby.

“An official summit is being held between Mor Ardain and Uraya.” Dromarch said. “It could take quite a while for them to hash out a new treaty.”

“Is this still about the recent punch-up? I thought Praetor Amalthus got them to sort all that out already.”

“Uraya doesn’t want Indol privy to some of the discussions.” Mythra said. “They delayed negotiations to move the location.”

“Uraya doesn’t like to associate to closely with Indol.” Zeke explained. “They’d hate to be seen as acquiescing to the Praetor’s will. Got to keep up appearances, you know.”

“For such a spanner, you sure use some big words.” Nia chuckled.

“Buzz off, kitty-no-mates!” Zeke groaned. “And stop calling me that!”

“Would you prefer Shellhead, then?”

“I’ll thank you to use my proper title: Zeke von Genbu, Chaotic Bringer of Chaos!”

“I swear you change that every time.” Nia shook her head. Suddenly, Mark burst his way through the crowd, running up to the group.

“Rex!” He shouted as Nia and Zeke began to draw their weapons. Rex motioned for them to stand down.

“Mark?” He asked. “What’re you doing?”

“Rex, there’s no time! There’s a group of assassins planning on executing the emperor at the summit! You need to get over there and stop them!”

“What, slow down! What’re you talking about?”

“I overheard their plan in the refugee camp, but they took me hostage before I could tell someone. I’m going to go warn the monks, but you need to get down to the summit and stop them!”

“Mòrag can handle herself.” Nia said, walking forward. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“You don’t understand!” Mark panted. “This guy’s bad news. He’s got a small army with him, and he’s a Driver to boot.”

“What was his name?” Zeke asked.

“Bradly. His group’s called the Bloody-” Before mark could finish, Rex took off down the street.

“We’re going!” He shouted over his shoulder. “Mòrag needs our help!”

“Warn the monks.” Nia said, slapping Mark on the shoulder as she ran after him. “We’ll go save the emperor.”

-

Yew led the Emperor and the Queen through the halls of the Titan battleship, Finch at his side. Queen Raqura was just behind him, guarded on both sides by her attendants and their Blades. Towering behind her were Aegaeon and the monstrous Blade Yew had brought along, weapons in hand. Emperor Niall, Grand Marshall Robalt, and Niranira walked behind Aegaeon, with Newt and Mòrag covering their flanks. Zuo brought up the rear with Gorg, scanning the hallways behind them. Roc hovered overhead, nearly pressing himself against the vaulted ceilings.

As Yew stepped into the Titan battleship’s hangar, he stopped. He motioned forward, and Roc flew over him, his eyes scanning across the various containers strewn about the room. Suddenly, he shot across the room, propelled by a burst of ether. He swung his scythes, and jets of compressed air blasted between several of the containers. Half a dozen people shot out the other side, carried by the wind. One whirled around and tried to throw a knife at Roc, but he was already across the room again, revealing a second group lying in wait.

As the would-be assassins tumbled from their hiding places, Queen Raqura’s attendants ran past Yew into the room. In tandem they raised their weapons, a double-headed crystal hammer and a three-pronged lance. A stream of water poured from the lance, washing over the exposed assassins. Ice spread from the hammer a moment later, instantly freezing the water and trapping the assassins in place. They struggled to free themselves, but Roc unleashed a series of compressed air blasts to their skulls, rendering them all unconscious.

“Anyone else?” The female attendant asked. Roc shook his head as he landed. Yew nodded, and the group fell back into formation. Once they were all inside the hangar, however, the door closed behind them. A moment later, Bradly dropped from the hangar’s ceiling wielding a pair of curved swords. He aimed straight for Queen Raqura. Roc caught him in the shoulder with one of his scythes and swung him into a nearby container. Immediately the group formed an arc around their charges as Queen Raqura and Emperor Niall backed up. The Queen’s male attendant slammed his hammer’s haft into the ground, and its sides opened into a shield. A wall of ice burst forth from either side, forming a barrier around the Queen and Emperor.

“Well…” Bradly sighed, pulling himself to his feet. Faint lines of green light crisscrossed his skin. “I was hoping to get this over with quickly, but I guess we don’t have that luxury.”

“You said we were clear.” Queen Raqura’s female attendant said.

“We were.” Roc responded. “I couldn’t feel any disturbance in the air currents from where he was hiding.”

“His Blade’s probably a wind user, then.” Yew said, raising his hammer. “Naddie and Perun take point. Reez and Godfrey guard the clients. Wulfric and I will-”

“Incoming!” Newt shouted. She drew her katana and unleashed a wall of flame toward the far door as it opened. A wave of dark ether collided with her wall, and the two attacks canceled each other out. Vale walked through the door, a black snowflake-shaped spear resting across her shoulders. Zenobia burst through the wall above her, carrying Dagas and both their axes on her back. Perceval dropped down from a hatch in the ceiling, his katana already drawn. Azami and Corvin emerged from inside the container Bradly had struck. Azami wore a set of oversized hands fused directly with a large ether cannon resting on her knee.

“Blades?” Brighid asked. “But… Where are their Drivers? I can’t feel any resonance from their cores.”

“Trade secret, I’m afraid.” Bradly smirked. “Can’t go around telling people the secret to my-”

“Ardainian anti-ether mesh imbedded beneath skin.” Niranira announced. “Blocks resonance while active. Same basic technology as ether nets.”

“Spoilsport.” Bradly frowned. He stretched his neck, and the green lines began to fade. He began to resonate with his Blades again, and their cores lit up in response. “New plan. The Nopon dies first.”

“Like we’d let you.” Naddie grunted. She rushed forward and aimed her spear at Bradly’s head. Azami fired a blast of dark ether at her, knocking her into a nearby wall.

“I said the Nopon dies first.”

“She’s alive.” Azami replied.

“Enough of this.” Mòrag said, stepping forward and extending her swords. “The Driver is mine. The rest of you keep his Blades occupied.”

“Good.” Bradly smiled. “I’ve always wanted to have a go at the Flamebringer. Perceval, you’re with me. The rest of you…” He tossed his twin swords into the air, and Corvin jumped to catch them. At the same moment, Perceval tossed his katana to Bradly. He smirked as he gripped the katana’s handle.

“Cut loose!” He shouted. Instantly, every Blade jumped into action. Corvin slashed his swords, sending a pair of light ether disks at the ice wall protecting the targets. Zenobia jumped into the air, an axe in each hand, and brought them down on Yew’s hammer. Dagas jumped off her back and extended his hands to the side, spewing out a wave of fire. Vale ran past Yew, dark ether collecting on her spear head, and drove it into the wall. Azami aimed her canon for Niranira and let rip another shot. And Bradly simply sauntered forward, black flames alighting along the edge of his katana.

Mòrag cracked her whips once, setting them ablaze. As they hit the ground, Naddie shot forward, her spear colliding with the side of Azami’s canon and knocking it off target. The blast caught Vale in the back as Zuo blocked her strike with his own axe. Aegaeon cut through Dagas’s flames, shards of ice spreading from his katana and melting into water as they collided with the fire. Newt leapt into the air and blocked Corvin’s attack with her ether shield as Yew shoved his hammer forward, unleashing a blast of wind that knocked Zenobia back.

She spat and tossed Dagas his axe. With a smirk, she swung hers up from the ground, catching the handle of Yew’s hammer and tossing him into the air. Instantly Wulfric threw his spear into her stomach. Yew spun his hammer as he descended, slamming it on top of Zenobia’s head. She raised her axe and blocked the strike, her knee warping the metal beneath it slightly as the impact struck. Yew fired a blast of wind from the hammer’s head, launching himself back. Zenobia’s axe absorbed the ether, swirling it around the head. Wulfric rushed forward and grabbed his spear, still sticking out of Zenobia’s stomach, and tossed her into the air. She spun around and caught Wulfric in the side of the head with her axe as she flew, knocking him to the side.

“Vale, switch!” Dagas shouted as Aegaeon continued to drive him back with blasts of ice. He vaulted over his opponent and rushed Zuo, who had placed himself between Vale and the ice wall. Vale broke from Zuo and drove her lance into Aegaeon’s back. Zuo smirked and drove his axe into the ground, creating a geyser that struck Dagas in the face. Aegaeon spun around and swung his katana at Vale’s head. She managed to raise her spear in time and block the attack just as Zenobia began to fall. Zenobia reared back her axe and threw it at Aegaeon. It caught him in the back, unleashing a blast of wind that knocked Zuo back into the ice wall as well.

Newt and Corvin, meanwhile, began to clash swords. Jets of flame shot from her smaller hands and feet, keeping her in the air as her larger hands swung her katana at Corvin, who stood on a disk of light above Bradly and Mòrag. He unfurled his raven-feather scarf and swung it at Newt’s katana. The scarf wrapped around her sword, and he jumped from the disk. He swung her down into Naddie as she chased Azami around the containers. Newt, however, righted herself and landed feet first as Naddie rolled to the side to avoid her. Newt swung her katana at Azami, pulling Corvin down to her. Azami blocked her strike, but Newt jumped and caught Corvin’s head as he flew. Her momentum carried the two into the far wall as Azami blocked another of Naddie’s strikes.

Mòrag and Bradly circled each other as their companions fought, studying each other. Roc, watching from his perch atop the ice wall, waited for Bradly to turn his back. Instantly he flew forward, scythes poised to take Bradly’s head off. Bradly took one of the black flames in his hand and crushed it. Tendrils of black ether erupted from his fist, and he swung them around at Roc. The tendrils wrapped around Roc, and Bradly jumped, swinging Roc around into Brighid. She stretched out her hand, and flames shot forth to sever the tendrils as Mòrag swung her whips at Bradly.

Free from the tendrils, Roc changed course and made another pass at Bradly while he was in the air. More black flames erupted on Bradly’s back, pushing him back to the ground as Mòrag’s whips and Roc’s scythes converged on him. He ducked under the attacks and lunged for Mòrag, swinging his katana at her stomach. She jumped back and pulled her whips to her sides. They curled back and wrapped around Bradly’s neck. She retracted her weapons back into swords, attempting to decapitate Bradly, but the blade segments just scraped harmlessly across the metal plates on his neck.

Mòrag attempted to run Bradly through as soon as her swords formed, but he pinned them to the ground with his katana. One of the black flames along the edge bloated, forming a blast of dark ether that struck Mòrag’s chest. She dragged her swords across the ground as she flew, leaving twin trails of flame. The instant she hit the container behind her she raised her swords again. Flames shot out from them, and the trails she’d left expanded, forming an inferno around Bradly. He jumped out of the flames, and Roc struck him in the back with a blast of wind, sending him flying deeper into the hangar.

Newt flew overhead, having taken a blow from Corvin straight to her jaw. He floated into the air on pulses of light ether just as Naddie raised her spear. A dozen spikes of water tore through the ground and into the ceiling around him, aiming for Azami. She fired a continuous stream of ether from her cannon, keeping the water at bay and almost striking Corvin in the process. Perun bolted forward and grabbed Azami by the neck, hoisting her into the air. Naddie didn’t hesitate to grab Azami with a tendril of water and pull her through the hangar floor into the Cloud Sea. Before Perun could get away from the hole, however, Corvin dropped from the sky, swords aimed for her head. Naddie leapt into the air and pinned him to the wall above Azami before he could land the blow. He kicked her in the stomach and dropped to the ground.

As the two of them began to exchange blows, Wulfric shot past them, driving Zenobia into the ground with his spear. She hit the side of a container and planted her feet. She knocked Wulfric’s spear aside and punched him in the face. Yew dropped from the sky and landed on her shoulders, knocking her to her knees. He jammed the haft of his hammer underneath her chin and tried to choke her out as she staggered to her feet. She bucked him off her and grabbed her axe from the ground next to her. She swung it between the two prongs of Wulfric’s spear as he raised it toward her. Her axe cleaved through his spear, shattering the head and splitting the haft in half. He wrenched the remains of his spear to the side, pulling the axe from Zenobia’s hands as well. He grabbed her neck and slammed her into the ground. She grabbed his arms and kicked him in the face. As Wulfric staggered back, he fired off a spray of small rocks from his hand and struck Zenobia square in the chest, forcing her back into Yew’s waiting hammer swing. He punted her straight through the hangar’s ceiling.

Zenobia fell back through the ceiling over Aegaeon and Vale. She struck Aegaeon in the head with a kick and drove his face straight through the haft of Vale’s spear, snapping it in half. The tendrils coming off his head wrapped around her leg as his face dug into the metal floor. They wrenched Zenobia backward and slammed her straight into Vale, knocking them both into the ice wall. Instantly he sprung up unleashed a blast of ice at them. Vale ducked out of the way in time, but Zenobia planted her feet and met it head on, arms raised in a cross. The ice struck her guard and rushed around her, binding her torso in place. She struggled against the ice, but before she could break free Zuo slammed his axe into her face and let loose another blast of water, freezing her head in place as well.

Dagas slammed his axe into Zuo’s stomach, driving him into the wall. His entire body wreathed itself in flames as he raised his axe to strike again, but Gorg tackled him to the ground. Water spilled out from his limbs, and the two began struggling to overpower each other’s ether. Vale leapt over the frozen pillar jetting from Zenobia’s stomach and kicked Zuo in the temple. As he staggered back, she struck him across his face with the broken end of her spear. She was about to drive the spear head through his face when Gorg threw up a shield, deflecting her attack. That gave Dagas the opening he needed to throw Gorg off him and regain his footing. Aegaeon struck him from behind just as he sent a wave of fire over Zenobia, freeing her.

Instantly she shot forward, punching Gorg in the stomach and carrying him with her as she continued to run. She slammed him into Wulfric’s back as he threw blasts of stone at Corvin’s head. With the loss of his Blade, Zuo lost both his shield as his weapon’s power. He immediately bent down and grabbed the broken haft of Vale’s spear. He managed to bring it up to catch her spear just as she thrust it forward again. He smacked her in the side of the head with his axe, and she lost her footing. He slipped the broken haft forward and drove it into her collar bone. She grunted and pushed her spear forward, trying to cut Zuo in half. Gorg blasted Zenobia aside and ran at Vale. Before he could arrive, a blast of ice caught most of her torso and head, and her legs buckled under the added weight.

Godfrey stood on top of the ice wall, hammer slung over his shoulder. He handed it back to Reez as the man jumped up to join him. Zuo picked himself up and nodded to Aegaeon, who was busy keeping Dagas from touching the ice wall. Reez nodded. A large spike of ice formed in front of him, and he swung his hammer at the base, sending it flying at Dagas’s head. He swung his axe and bisected it before it could reach him. Aegaeon prepared to fire another blast of ice at him, but a blast of dark ether caught him in the back. Corvin had pulled Azami up from the Could Sea and she was firing blasts of ether all around the battlefield trying to hit Yew and Naddie.

Reez raised his hammer and tried to fire another spike of ice at Dagas, but Corvin threw a series of light disks at him. With Reez occupied, Dagas spread his hands and unleashed a wall of flame, beginning to melt the wall of ice protecting the Queen and Emperor. Zuo and Aegaeon both ran to stop him, but Zenobia knocked them both over with a blast of wind. Wulfric took the opportunity to slam her head into the ground, but she kept up the assault. Corvin broke from Yew and Naddie and flew toward Reez, continuing to throw out arcs of light. Suddenly, Newt sprung up from where he’d thrown her and struck him to the ground.

She landed on him and began wailing away with her fists as Reez jumped from the wall and struck Dagas in the face with his hammer. By then, however, it was already too late. A large section of the wall had been melted. Reez scrambled to extend his shield and begin rebuilding the defenses, but a stray blade of wind from Zenobia’s attack on Zuo and Aegaeon had cut the ice imprisoning Vale. Instantly she threw her spear through Reez’s shoulder. Dagas jumped and slammed his axe down on the remains of the wall, sending out a burst of flames in every direction. Aegaeon threw up his shield and jumped into Zenobia’s wind blast, knocking himself against the far wall but getting beyond her assault. He blasted Dagas back with ice and swiftly put out the flames, but the wall of ice was gone. He immediately positioned himself in front of Emperor Niall and threw up a shield large enough to protect Queen Raqura as well. Slowly ice began spreading out from him, but not nearly quick enough to rebuild the wall.

“Well.” Bradly smirked as more of his dark tendrils clashed with Mòrag’s whips. “It looks like your defense is starting to falter.” He raised his sword and blocked a strike from Roc’s scythes as Corvin slammed Newt against the ceiling. Azami managed to catch Naddie in the leg with a blast of ether, knocking her to the ground. Perun grabbed the spear and thrust it through Azami’s cannon. The resulting ether explosion sent them both flying. Zenobia kicked Yew in the stomach and grabbed Wulfric by one of his horns. She slammed his head into the ground and began to repeatedly pummel him with her free fist. Finch grabbed Yew’s hammer and slammed Zenobia into the wall, but immediately caught a blast of light from Corvin as he threw Newt into Zuo, who was busy parrying attacks from Dagas.

“Roc.” Mòrag said. “Go help the others.”

“Are you-” He began to protest, but a quick glare from Mòrag shut him up. He nodded and flew off to blast Corvin out of the sky as Newt regained her footing. As Roc left, and the rest of the fighting began to migrate toward Aegaeon’s shield, Mòrag’s flames increased in intensity. They spread out all around her, trapping Bradly and Perceval in with her and Brighid. He tried to open a path through the flames with his tendrils, but the second they stopped focusing on Mòrag she lunged forward. He narrowly avoided strikes from her whips as he backed up. He struck at her again with his tendrils, and she blocked with one of her whips. Immediately one of the black flames on his sword erupted in a blast of dark ether.

Mòrag ducked beneath the blast, but it gave Bradly an opportunity. He lunged forward and swung for her head. She recalled her whips and blocked the strike with one sword. The other she thrust into Bradly’s stomach. He grabbed the blade of her sword with his free hand just before it pierced his torso. With a twist, he bent the tip to the side, cracking one of the plates. The flames along the blade grew brighter, and he jumped back. Mòrag followed him, swinging the tip of her broken sword toward his temple. He ducked and caught the strike on his metal-plated shoulder. The impact broke the tip loose, and it clattered across the ground.

Bradly tossed his katana to Perceval as he dodged Mòrag’s follow up swing. Perceval planted the sword in the ground, and it began billowing black smog. Brighid threw up a shield around herself and Mòrag as the smog passed over them, giving Bradly time to back up. Only he didn’t back up. He and Perceval ran for the flame wall. The smog smothered the flames as it rolled over them, and the pair were clear to run straight for the Queen and the Emperor. The smog cleared behind them, and Mòrag and Brighid followed closely after that. Before they could catch Bradly, however, Roc blindsided him, grabbing the man in his talons and hoisting him into the air. Arms locked in place, Bradly dropped his katana into Perceval’s waiting hands. Azami took aim at Roc as Perceval continued to run.

“That enough!” Niranira shouted, firing a gun into the air. Everyone looked to see the Nopon standing in the doorway, a gun in each wing. One had fired the shot, while the other was pressed squarely against Senator Roderich’s temple. Almost immediately, all the fighting ground to a halt. Bradly’s Blades all immediately aimed their remaining weapons at Aegaeon’s shield, while everyone else aimed weapons at them. For a moment, no one moved save for Roc as he floated to the ground, a scythe pressed against Bradly’s neck.

“Well.” Bradly said. “This is quite the predicament.”

“Senator Roderich.” Mòrag spat. “I knew you were behind this.”

“Yes.” Niranira nodded. “Niranira take liberty of checking on bridge. Found Senator Roderich and his men had taken over. Found someone else as well.” Niranira smirked. Rex and Mythra emerged from the other door, sword drawn. The others were right behind them.

“So.” Rex said, his eyes narrowing on Bradly. “You’re-”

A contained at the back of the hangar exploded, sending shards of metal flying in all directions. The ruined figure of Rosa’s torso dragged itself, arm reattached, from the wreckage. From his perch on Rosa’s neck stump, Bana smiled.

“Rex!” Bana shouted. “You finally arrive! Now Bana will have his revenge!” Everyone stared, transfixed for a moment, as the mechanical figure trudged forward. In that moment, Bradly drew a small knife from his boot and stabbed Roc in the leg. Senator Roderich shoved Niranira aside and bolted back down the hallway. As Bradly scrambled to his feet and Niranira ran after the Senator, the various Blades and Drivers resumed fighting.

Poppi threw herself at Rosa as it dragged itself forward. Perceval and Mòrag traded blows as Bradly scrambled back to his Blade’s side, avoiding Roc’s scythes. Nia and Corvin traded blows momentarily before Newt punched him into the ground. Zeke swatted Zenobia into a wall with the flat of his sword. Rex fired blasts of light from his sword, striking Vale and Dagas to the ground before they could fire at Aegaeon.

“You die now!” Bana continued to shout. Rosa swatted Poppi aside and lurched for Rex. He blasted it in the chest as it fell toward him, scattering many of the combatants. Poppi pulled herself from the wall and shot back at Rosa. She grabbed Bana from his perch and ripped the controller from his hands. Rosa fell, nearly on top of Rex. Mythra threw up a shield, but before it could fall on them Zenobia slammed her foot into its chest, kicking it onto Aegaeon. He set his teeth as his shield began to crack under the weight. From his pocket, Bana drew another remote. This one had only a single button. He pressed it. Instantly, Rex foresaw Rosa exploding in a ball of flame.

“It’s gonna blow!” He shouted. Poppi dropped Bana into Roc’s arms and grabbed Rosa’s back. Immediately, she reversed her thrusters, dragging Rosa to the back of the hangar. With a mighty heave, she tossed it through the bay doors and into the Cloud Sea. A moment later, it exploded, rocking the Titan battleship and throwing everyone off their feet.

In that moment, Aegaeon dropped his shield. Bradly shot forward, sword aimed for Queen Raqura’s stomach. Mòrag barely had time to register that he’d slipped past her before he reached his target. Emperor Niall shoved her aside. Bradly’s sword went straight through the young man’s chest. Immediately Aegaeon hit Bradley’s chest with a spike of ice, throwing him back and wrenching the katana from his hands.

“Is… anyone hurt?” Niall smiled, turning to face Queen Raqura as he fell to the ground, sword still in his chest. Bradly’s Blades rushed forward to finish the job, but Godfrey and Perun arrived first, throwing up ether shields and forcing them back.

“Your Majesty!” Mòrag screamed, running to Niall’s side. The fighting ceased for a moment, and Bradly began to back up toward the hangar’s exit. His Blades followed suit.

“Your Majesty…” Aegaeon wheezed. He sunk to his knees and began to dissolve into ether. “I have-” He returned to his core. It clattered against the ground, inert.

-

“Liùsaidh is dead.” Mòrag’s father said. She couldn’t see the imperial consort’s reaction, but she didn’t hear anything from her crouched outside the door.

“So this is how it ends.” She finally heard him mutter.

“Brother…” Her father said. “I know you should be mourning, but we need to address the question of succession.”

“We have a son.” The first consort replied. “I see no room for questions.”

“Niall is a fail boy. Much too frail to burden with the responsibility of governing the Empire. Mòrag, on the other hand-”

“You weasel!” The first consort snapped. Mòrag heard something smash against the wall. “You wouldn’t dare take this tone in front of the Empress!”

“She shared my concerns. Niall has little aptitude for combat. She was afraid he wouldn’t be able to hold onto the territory we’ve gained.”

“Liùsaidh’s bloodlust has done nothing but cause us trouble, Eandraig.”

“It is not my place to question the Empress’s will. It isn’t yours either.”

“Did my wife issue an official decree on this matter, then?” The first consort asked. Mòrag’s father didn’t reply. “I thought not. No matter how much you might like your daughter to succeed my wife, no matter what promises you and Liùsaidh may have given her, the law is clear. I am the first consort of the Empress. My child will sit on the throne. The Senate will back Niall’s claim.”

Mòrag ran off before her father could reply. They might have heard her as she left, but she didn’t care. She ran back to her room and slammed the door. She collapsed to the floor, curled into a ball, and began to cry.

“Mòrag?” Niall muttered. She looked up and realized she’d blustered her way into Niall’s room on accident. Niall climbed out of his bed and crept over to her. She pulled away from him, and he retreated a little.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“The Empress is dead.” She spat. He retreated further as he processed that, and she felt a twinge of satisfaction watching him suffer. She felt horribly guilty for it a moment later.

“I see.” He said. His voice was quiet. “Will you be taking the throne, then?”

“No.” She curled herself up further.

“But… Mother always wanted you to succeed her. She adopted you because…” He paused. “Because I was a failure.”

“Your father doesn’t see it that way.”

“I don’t care how he sees it.” Niall said. “I never wanted any of this to begin with. You’re the one Mother raised to sit on the throne.”

“Screw her!” Mòrag screamed. “It’s her fault we’re in this mess to begin with! I’m sick of people deciding my future for me!”

“On that, we can agree.” Niall crawled next to Mòrag. She didn’t pull away this time. Slowly, he wrapped her in a hug.

“What happens now?” Mòrag asked.

“I don’t know…” Niall sighed. “But we’ll get through this together. We’re family.”

-

“Niall!” Mòrag sobbed, throwing her swords down and crouching next to Niall. “Please, no!”

“Well.” Bradly smirked as the rest of the Drivers in the room closed in on him. “I’d love to stick around and finish the job, but this is a bit much, even for me. So I’ll be on my way. You all take care, now.” He waved goodbye as he and his Blades backed through the door and into the battleship’s hallway.

“Don’t you dare!” Mòrag shouted. “You’re not going anywhere!” She grabbed her swords and ran after Bradly. Rex, Tora, Zeke, and the others ran after her. Poppi knocked Bana over the head, rendering him unconscious before she left. Nia and Dromarch, however, stayed behind with the Queen and her security.

“Zuo, get the Queen out of here.” Nia said, crouching down next to Niall. “Indoline Monks should be coming. Go find them.”

Zuo nodded. He and the rest of the Drivers and Blades began to escort the Queen out of the hangar, the opposite way Bradly had fled. Roc lingered behind for a moment.

“Nia, what are you-” Roc began to ask.

“Catch up later!” Yew shouted. “We’re on the clock!” Reluctantly, Roc took to the air and resumed his post with Zuo.

“My Lady.” Dromarch said as Nia slid the sword out of Niall’s chest. “You can’t be serious.”

“There’s no time.” She replied. “Just holler if the others come back.” As she spoke, ether began to gather around her. It glowed a soft blue and formed a dome over her and Niall. Slowly, his wound began to stich itself closed. After a moment, Niall’s eyes flickered open.

“You… You’re…” He tried to speak.

“Save your strength.” Nia replied. “You’re going to be just fine.”

-

A purple-clad female Blade stood on the wall of the Inner Praetorium. She had long, silver hair and wore a visor over much of her face. In one hand she gripped the haft of a long, translucent scythe. She looked over the wall to see the Praetor strolling through the central courtyard, guarded by a pair of monks. Her target. After a moment of study, she gave a small nod and jumped. She landed between the two monks. Her target took a single step back as the monks raised their spears. She took their heads with a swing of her scythe. With the guards dispatched, she turned to her target. He simply cocked his head slightly, making no attempt to run.

“An assassin.” He muttered. “How quaint.” She raised her scythe to cut him down. However, as she tried to deliver the strike, a sudden wave of lethargy gripped her. A wave of green ether washed over her, and she collapsed to her knees. He took a step toward her and placed a hand on her Core Crystal. She tried to thrash about but found herself unable to move.

“Interesting.” He continued. “Your core has nearly collected enough data for you to evolve. It’s a good thing I caught you in time.” He spread his fingers out around her core. “Normally I’d take my time with this sort of thing, but when you see a fruit this ripe? It’s better you pluck it immediately.” With a smile, he dug his clawed hand into her skin. She began to scream, despite herself. Her Core Crystal began to glow as Amalthus wrapped his hand around it. With one fluid motion, he pulled the crystal from her chest. The screaming stopped, and he let her fall to the ground. He began to study his new prize as her corpse dissolved.

-

Mòrag screamed as she chased Bradly through the halls of the battleship. Bradly held Dagas’s axe in his hand, and he occasionally swung waves of fire over his shoulder as he moved. Mòrag simply knocked them aside. His Blades ran ahead of him, knocking down doors and ensuring their route was clear. As they emerged onto the docks from the side of the battleship, Bradly turned to send one last wave of ether at Mòrag. She threw her sword at him while the wave obscured his vision. It caught him in the thigh before he could start running.

As Bradly collapsed to the ground, Zeke’s sword blade rocketed past Mòrag’s head. It struck Zenobia in the back and released a barrage of lightning at the Blades. Corvin and Vale managed to put up shields in time, but the others didn’t. They collapsed, spasming as the blade continued to blast electricity through their bodies from where it lay. Though they’d been spared from the initial attack, the lightning constantly assaulting their shields meant Corvin and Vale couldn’t move.

Mòrag stormed over to Bradly as he tried to stand. She kicked him in his good leg, breaking it and forcing him to the ground. She planted a foot on his back as he tried to roll off the dock. With Bradly pinned, she raised her broken sword to stab through his back. Rex grabbed her arm as she swung, catching the blade just above him.

“Let go!” Mòrag grunted, tearing herself from his grip. She tried to stab him again, but Rex grabbed her shoulders. He looked her in the eyes and shook his head.

“It’s over.” He said. “We’ve got him.”

“He-”

“I know.” Rex sighed. “But we’re better than that.”

Mòrag screamed and tore herself from Rex’s grip again. Furious, she threw her broken sword at Corvin’s shield. She stood over Bradly, her hands trembling.

“Better?” Bradly laughed. “You think you’re above all this? That’s hilarious. Letting me go free is just giving me the chance to come back and finish the job. You-” He stopped talking as Rex crouched down next to him. Rex stared at him for a moment without saying anything.

“You’re the Aegis’s Driver.” Bradly said. “I’ve got to say, I thought you’d be taller. So, mister hero, got something you want to say?”

“I was going to ask why.” Rex said. “But, now that I’m here, that doesn’t seem to matter much anymore. All that matters is you never get the chance to hurt anyone like you’ve hurt Mòrag. Or me. Ever again.”

“Hurt you? What’d I ever… Oh, I see. You’re Leftherian. The backwater village, I’m guessing? So, come to finally get your revenge? I always knew someone would get me eventually, but I didn’t think it’d be-”

“No.” Rex said, standing back up. “I’m done here.” He looked over to see Zeke and Poppi helping the Indoline monks restrain the Blades with ether nets. Niranira stood nearby with Senator Roderich in a pair of handcuffs.

“Well.” Bradly chuckled as a pair of monks dragged him to his feet. “Never thought I’d see the day someone didn’t want to kill me.”

“Not everyone’s a monster like you.” Mòrag said. She turned and walked back into the battleship. Rex and the others followed her as the monks dragged Bradly and his Blades away.

-

Mòrag wandered back into the hangar as the monks and Niranira collected Bana and the remaining Bloody Lobsters. Brighid trailed just far enough behind her to give her space. The rest of the group spread out to assist the monks.

“Hey!” Nia shouted, waving her arms as they walked back in. “Guys! His Majesty’s awake!” Niall stood next to her, leaning on her shoulder. He gave Mòrag a weak smile as she ran up to him. She tackled him in a hug and began to cry. The two of them stood like that for a minute.

“I apologize…” Niall said, pulling out of Mòrag’s hug. “For making you worry…”

“Your Majesty, I…” Mòrag stopped and took a deep breath. “It’s a miracle.”

“Honestly, you call yourself a soldier?” Nia asked. “Ever heard of first aid?”

“There was a sword in my chest.” Niall chuckled. “And Aegaeon returned to his core. I don’t blame them for assuming the worst.”

“Nia, how did you…” Mòrag looked Niall over, but found that his wounds were already bandaged.

“By some miracle, the sword missed his vitals.” Nia said. “Dromarch and I stopped the bleeding and sealed the hole, but it’s going to be a while before he’s back on his feet again.”

“Thank you, Nia. I truly don’t know how to repay you. If there’s anything you need, I-”

“Don’t sweat it.” Nia smiled. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

“Friends?” Mòrag’s eyes widened for a moment. “I suppose you’re right. Friends it is.” She stretched out her hand, and Nia shook it.

“Now that we’re friends, can I count on you to not turn me over to the military?”

“The military?” Niall asked. “Whatever for?”

“There’s a lot I haven’t gotten the chance to catch you up on, Your Majesty.”

“Well, I guess it’ll have to wait a little longer.” He sighed and resumed his regal posture. Mòrag immediately snapped to attention. “Special Inquisitor, I hereby issue you new orders. It is my wish that you travel with the Aegis as an emissary of the Empire. You are to guard her and defend her against her enemies until she completes what she has set out to do.”

“Forgive me.” Mòrag shook her head. “Your Majesty, I cannot accept. It would be sheer foolishness for me to leave your side.”

“Walk with me.” Niall began walking further into the hangar. When he and Mòrag were out of earshot of the others, he continued. “I can see it in your eyes, you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Aegis, or rather, her Driver and his friends have made a great impression on you.”

“I am your Special Inquisitor. Ensuring Your Majesty’s safety is my only concern. To abandon that duty and go traveling at a time like this-”

“The world is changing, Mòrag. And these friends of yours are right at the center of it. I trust you more than anyone to lend them the wisdom and strength they will need.”

“I…”

“Do you remember Lake Yewtle? When the two of us would shake off the servants and go swimming there?”

“Y-yes. Of course.”

“Kids from the nearby village would come too. Good times. If Mor Ardain… No, the whole of Alrest could be like that… Wouldn’t it be beautiful?”

“Is that my new duty, then?”

“It isn’t about your duty.” Niall sighed. “You are your own person. What ever happened to that girl sick of other people deciding her future.”

“I live to serve Your Majesty. I decided that for myself.”

“Mother raised you to take the throne, remember? There’s nothing special about me.”

“And I’ve come to appreciate her training, if not her intentions. If not for her, I would never have met Brighid. Never have met them.” She motioned back toward Rex and the others. “I’d have missed out on so much.”

“There.” Niall tapped Mòrag’s chest plate. “That’s what I mean. Those are your true feelings. You’ve been tied down long enough.”

“Your Majesty, I can’t-”

“Follow your heart, Mòrag Ladair.” Niall frowned. “That is an order.”

“I… Thank you, Niall. I have no words. I hereby accept the task you have assigned to me.”

“That’s the spirit.” Niall smiled. “Make me proud. And one more thing…” He reached into the folds of his coat and withdrew a darkened Core Crystal. “I want you to have this, as well. From what Mythra described at the summit, you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

“Is this Aegaeon’s? Your Majesty, I cannot deprive you of all your guard.”

“A driver who cannot protect himself is no Driver at all. Getting hurt badly enough my own Blade quits on me… I’ve become keenly aware I have no aptitude for combat. He’ll be of more use in your hands.”

“Very well.” Mòrag took the crystal. “I won’t let you down, Majesty.”

“Made up your mind?” Rex asked as Mòrag and Niall rejoined them.

“Yes.” Mòrag said. “It seems out paths continue to entwine.”

“Mòrag staying?” Tora asked. “This best of news!”

“Indeed.” Niall said. “Thank you, for everything you’ve done.” He stuck out a hand in Rex’s direction. “For my people, and for me. We are in your debt.”

“Just doing our job.” Rex shrugged. He shook Niall’s hand.

“It was nice to meet you all. I’ll ask that you all take good care of my thick-headed sister.”

“Sister?!” Nia shouted. “Since when?”

“Well, I’d best be off.” Niall chuckled. “I still have negotiations to conduct, after all. Best of luck on your journey.” He walked off toward Niranira, leaving Nia’s jaw hanging open and Zeke chortling behind her. Mòrag sighed and smiled. She and the others waved her brother goodbye as they headed out.

-

Sometime after the negotiations, the Queen and her attendants stood on the deck of their Titan ship as it sailed back to Uraya. She stood with a copy of the new Osirian Treaty in her hands. Other than the prisoners and the compensation Emperor Niall had offered, precious little had changed.

“I can’t help but feel they’ve swept aside our concerns in the wake of the attack.” Reez said, standing a short distance away from Queen Raqura.

“He saved my life.” She said, rolling up the treaty. “There’s no way to conduct reasonable negotiations in that situation. Besides, territorial squabbling can hardly take priority at a time like this.”

“My Liege?” Naddie asked.

“The Aegis has returned. If we misread the situation, even a little, then Uraya itself could be sunk beneath the Cloud Sea’s bed.”

“The Emperor must be thinking the same thing. That’s why he sent the Special Inquisitor to shepherd them along.”

“Perhaps that’s for the best, for now.” The Queen sighed. “We’ll keep our troops on standby and monitor the situation. We have to hope Tantal complies with the Praetor’s request. Otherwise, we’ll have much bigger problems to worry about than being in debt to the Emperor.”

-

Another Praetorium ship flew over the Cloud Sea. Rex stood on the deck, watching the waves roll past underneath. They’d set out just after Niall’s recovery. The rest of the group were inside, talking. As time passed, Zeke wandered up next to Rex, leaning his arms on the railing.

“Chum.” Zeke said. “I’ve got a question for you.”

“Shoot.” Rex replied.

“Which one d’you fancy, Pyra or Mythra?”

“You can’t just ask someone a question like that.” Rex turned away, cheeks flush.

“He’s Bashful.” Zeke chuckled. “Ah, the innocence of youth.”

“Knock it off. It’s a bad question, anyway.”

“How so?”

“Pyra and Mythra are a package deal. Can’t have one without the other. They’re basically the same person, when you get down to it.”

“Are you serious? They’re totally different characters. Mythra is jolly intense, and Pyra is totally mellow. Or, I dunno… What’s the opposite of “pushy”?”

“On the outside, maybe. But Pyra can be stubborn to, if you push her. I found that out the hard way.”

“So, what you’re saying is… You fancy them both?”

“I thought a prince from Tantal would have better manners than this.” Rex shook his head.

“Well, I’m not what you’d call a conventional prince.”

“I figured, what with you working for the Praetorium. What’s the deal with that, anyway?”

“You can’t just ask someone a question like that.” Zeke scoffed.

“His old man kicked him out.” Pandoria said, leaning against the side of the Titan ship’s cabin.

“Oi, no!” Zeke shouted, whirling around. “Bad Blade, bad! How long have you been standing there?”

“From about…” Pandoria put a hand over her left eye and lowered her voice. “Which one d’you fancy.”

“That’s the whole bloody conversation.” Zeke groaned. “And I do not sound so unrefined.”

“My Prince got disowned by his father.” Pandoria continued. “He spent all his time traveling the world for fun, instead of attending to his studies. Then bye!”

“It wasn’t for fun! I was learning all about…” Zeke thought for a moment. “Society and international relations.”

“I do remember a fair bit of relations.” Pandoria smirked. “And I suppose you could technically call them international.”

“Can it, you! What are you doing anyway, dissing your own Driver?!”

“I love him, really.” Pandoria said, putting a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Like a lost puppy.”

“Aw.” Rex chuckled. “That’s sweet.”

“I’m warning you.” Zeke pointed a finger between Rex and Pandoria, his eyebrows knit. “You’d do well to go no further.”

“Fine.” Pandoria rolled her eyes.

“So they kicked him out for leaving?” Rex asked. “Seems a bit redundant.”

“If this story must be told, I’ll be the one to tell it.” Zeke frowned. “Tantal is an isolationist society. Crossing its borders without leave is strictly forbidden.”

“But you’ve seen how my Prince here is.” Pandoria continued. “Couldn’t stop himself leaving a few times, so he got chewed out and disowned. He must’ve been, what, nineteen at the time?”

“Something like that.” Zeke sighed. “It was a cruel world for a kid my age to find himself alone in.”

“Quit your whining.” Rex said. “I’m barely seventeen, and I’ve been doing just fine on my own for years now. How bad could it have been?”

“The Praetor found him half-dead on the ground in Spessia.” Pandoria said.

“Yes, and he decided to take me in.” Zeke nodded.

“He made up that “special envoy” stuff.” Pandoria said, faking a whisper. Zeke frowned but didn’t comment.

“And that’s how you ended up in Indol.” Rex muttered. “Is it safe for you to go back to Tantal, then?”

“We’ve got official business from the Praetorium.” Zeke shrugged. “It’ll probably be fine. Besides, Tantal is too ignorant of the outside world. It needs a wake-up call, and it’s high time I came to deliver one.”

“Sire.” An Indoline monk said, approaching Zeke from behind. “We’ve reached the requested coordinates.”

“Good.” Zeke smirked. “Pandoria, are you ready.”

“You betcha!” Pandoria shouted. The pair took off for the ship’s prow.

“What’s going on?” Rex asked, running after them.

“Shut up and follow me, chum!” Zeke replied. “You’re in for the show of your life!”

The rest of the group emerged from the cabin and gathered around as Pandoria stood on the ship’s prow. She closed her eyes, and a beam of blue light shot from her Core Crystal into the Cloud Sea.

-

A king sat alone in his throne room. Vaulted walls of carved stone intricately woven with softly glowing ether surrounded him. A wooden crown traced the outline of his brow as he sat in thought. Behind him, a door opened.

“My Lord.” One of his attendants said, entering the room. “Genbu has begun surfacing.”

“I am aware.” The king replied. “It’s Pandoria.”

“We have received reports that the Prince made contact with the Aegis in Indol.”

“So after five hundred years, he makes his move…” The king stood from his throne. “Praetor Amalthus.”

“My Lord?”

“We must act quickly.” The king turned to face his attendant. “If Tantal is to have any chance of survival.”

-

A great Titan broke the surface of the Cloud Sea, sending a wave of clouds rolling over the Titan ship that had summoned it. Plates of pink crystal rose into the air from the crown of its head as it emerged from its shell.

“It’s just like a bigger version of Turters.” Nia said with a whistle.

“It’s called Genbu.” Zeke said. He held Turters in one hand and began to scratch its head with the other. “It’s the same Titan class as Uraya. Normally it’s submerged in the Cloud Sea.”

“I’m warning you now, it’s pretty cold inside Genbu.” Pandoria said, stepping down from the ship’s prow. “Mind you don’t freeze.”

“Just what I needed.” Nia sighed. She began to rub her arms.

“I can provide my own warmth.” Brighid said, conjuring a flame in her hand. “You can stay close to me if you like.”

“Me as well.” Mythra said. She changed over to Pyra and conjured her own flame.

“You’re lifesavers, both of you.”

“Well it is our trademark.” Brighid said as the pair snuffed out their flames.

“Head straight for the mouth.” Zeke said to one of the monks. “There’s a port waiting for us inside.”

“You’re not going to get changed, Shellhead?” Nia asked, motioning to Zeke’s open shirt.

“I’m used to the cold.” Zeke shrugged. “I’ll be dandy.”

“He’s naturally dense.” Pandoria said. “It’s good insulation.”

“Makes sense.” Nia and Rex nodded in tandem.

“Stop encouraging her.” Zeke scoffed. “Bullies, the lot of you.”

-

As the group disembarked the Titan ship, they found themselves in a deserted port inside Genbu’s mouth. Zeke bid the Indoline monks return to the Praetorium before leading everyone else up through Genbu’s esophagus. After a short walk, they entered a snow-filled cavern. Tantal proper. The cavern was vast, nearly as large as Uraya’s stomach. But where Uraya’s stomach stretched from one end of the Titan to the other, forming an oblong shape, this cavern was nearly circular, mimicking the form of Genbu’s shell. They stood on a cliff lining the side of the cavern. Below them were vast fields of ice and snow dotted with myriad stone ruins and several large cervices. A lone city stood in the middle of the cavern, standing on a pillar of stone and connected to the cliffside by a thin land bridge. Brighid and Pyra weaved thin wisps of fire throughout the party as they traveled across it.

“Hey, is it just me or are the ether lines really dim?” Nia asked, studying the glowing lines in Genbu’s hide as they walked.

“Genbu has pretty bad circulation compared to other Titans.” Zeke said from the front of the group. “They say its why we have a cold climate and awful crops.”

“You can grow crops in a place like this?”

“Things get a little warmer in the summer. But we’re not known for our bountiful harvests.”

“I take it Tantal is more architecturally minded.” Mòrag said as the group neared the city gates. “This is the very picture of the ancient civilizations I’ve read about.” A pair of stone obelisks rose into the sky in front of them, flanking the gate’s portcullis. A central glowing ether light hung between them. On either side, the city’s walls, punctuated by hexagonal guard towers, stretched around the rest of the city, converging on the palace at the city’s far end.

“It is a pretty classic look.” Zeke nodded. “Comes straight from the old land of Torna. But us Tantalese didn’t just inherit the design sensibilities. Tornans were master engineers, and their blood runs in our veins.”

“As there are people to pass it on to, civilization will endure.” Dromarch said. “Knowledge, much like life itself, is inherited and passed down.”

“I wish it were that simple.”

“What Zeke mean?” Tora asked.

“It’d be easier to show you.” Zeke motioned for them to follow him through the gate. The soldiers manning the outside saluted him as they did. Past the gate was a central plaza. In the middle of the plaza was a several story tall ether lamp, radiating heat out to the rest of the city. Clustered around it were a handful of stalls selling produce. Whoever wasn’t buying or selling food was hanging around the lamp warming themselves up.

“Welcome to Theosoir.” Pandoria announced. “Capital city of Tantal.”

“This is the capital?” Rex asked, looking around. The streets were lined with closed shops, and the people walked with eyes downcast. Anyone who did bother to look up at them didn’t stick around for long.

“Like I said, we’ve precious little in the way of local produce.” Zeke pointed at the stalls near the ether lamp. “That there’s the black market, where many of the citizens get their food.”

“You’re kidding me. You’ve got a black market just… out here like this? I counted a dozen guards on the way in here.”

“All the regular shops are shuttered. When winter rolls around, people never have enough to get by, so they pay ungodly prices for produce smuggled once a month from Indol. The bigwigs turn a blind eye because it’s the only thing keeping people from starving, but they refuse to open up the port for more trade.”

“So all the production is wasted just surviving, and the country grows weak.” Brighid said.

“Even the wisdom of a proud ancient civilization can’t solve all problems.” Mòrag shook her head. “This is what you wanted to show us?”

“You wanted to wax poetic about the architecture.” Zeke said. “But this place is a giant museum with no tourists. At the end of the day, that’s not going to feed anyone.”

“Another thing to keep in mind for when we reach Elysium.” Rex said.

“I suppose.” Zeke smiled. “Now come on, the palace is this way.”

-

“Your Highness.” The attendant smiled as Zeke approached the gates of the palace. He stood in front, ready to greet them. “The guards informed us you’d arrived. And with…” He narrowed his eyes at Rex and the others. Suddenly his smile faded. “Guests.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Zeke waved. “Good to see ya. Is the old man inside?”

“Indeed. He was delighted to hear that you’d returned.”

“Now I know you’re lying.” Zeke laughed. “Armus’ll fly before that man welcomes me home. No need to coddle me, mate.”

“Apologies.” The attendant sighed.

“Still, he knows we’re coming. That’ll save time. My friends and I bring important news from the Praetorium.”

“Very well. Come with me.” The attendant turned and signaled to the guards. The gates swung open, and he led the party inside.

The ether lines running along the palace walls caught Mòrag’s eye as she entered. She stopped, studying them for a moment.

“Are you alright?” Brighid asked.

“I’m fine.” Mòrag said. She reached out a hand as Tora walked past, stopping him and Poppi.

“Friend Mòrag need something?” Tora asked.

“Poppi can produce her own supply of ether energy, correct?”

“This true. But now is no time for engineering lesson.”

“Listen, Poppi.” She drew her swords and smacked the handles together. One of the cores broke loose, and she handed it to Poppi. “Keep this somewhere safe, preferably in your ether furnace. And I’ll need you both to follow my lead in the throne room. No matter what happens.”

“Roger…” Poppi said, taking the crystal and placing it inside a compartment of her body. “It sound like Mòrag expecting something to happen. Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed. “But better safe than sorry. Now come on, or we’ll be left behind.” She started walking again. The four of them caught up with the group as they reached the throne room.

The king’s throne stood in the center of the room. In it he sat, watching the group enter. All around the room, lining every wall, were Tantalese guardsmen. His attendant approached him and whispered something in his ear. Zeke and Pandoria stepped aside, leaning against a nearby ether light as Mòrag stepped forward. She removed her hat and knelt at the base of the king’s throne. The rest of the group followed suit, save for Zeke and Pandoria. Rex drew Amalthus’s papers from his pack and held them up. The attendant collected them and presented them to the king. He read them for a moment before looking up.

“The Aegis, I presume.” He said, his eyes narrowing on Pyra. He stood and tore up the documents. His attendant gave another signal, and the guards around the room began to move. They surrounded the party and leveled their spears. The group sprang up, some drawing their weapons. Mòrag simply sighed and donned her cap.

“My lady!” Dromarch snarled, placing himself between Nia and the nearest guard.

“What the hell is this?” Nia hissed. “Shellhead?”

“No idea.” He grunted. A pair of guards had pinned him against the wall, but they weren’t holding him or Pandoria at spearpoint. He threw one off and scrambled out of their grasp. He ran up to the king’s throne. “Stop this at once! Dad!”

The king did not reply. He raised a hand, and a beam of lightning shot down from the ceiling. It struck Pyra, and she and Rex began to scream. He collapsed to the ground. Before she could do the same, a metal frame dropped from the same device generating the beam. It closed around Pyra, trapping her limbs in circles of light and lifting her into the air.

“Pyra!” Rex shouted. He pulled himself to his feet and began to run after her as the device dragged her over the king’s throne. A pair of guards crossed their spears in his path. He tried to break through, but they forced him to his knees and pinned his neck against the ground.

“Stop this madness!” Zeke continued to shout. “What the bloody hell are you thinking? Rex and his lot haven’t done anything.”

“We cannot afford to wait until they do, Ozychlyrus.” The king said, looking at his son for the first time. “The world must not be allowed to burn. The Aegis must be destroyed.”

“Oh no, you don’t!” Nia spat. She drew her rings and ran for the guards pinning Rex to the ground. Dromarch bounded after her. As she swung her ring, however, the blade of ether along its edge faded. Her attack collided harmlessly against a guard’s spear. Startled, she hesitated for a moment. In that moment, the guard struck her in the chest with the butt of his spear, knocking her back. Several more guards closed in around her. Dromarch attempted to shake them off but couldn’t summon any ether to attack with.

“Please, do not resist.” The king continued. “My goal is only to destroy the Aegis. I have no wish to take your lives also.”

“King Eulogimenos.” Mòrag said. “I stand before you as a special envoy of Mor Ardain. Of the Emperor himself. Do you realize what you are doing?”

“I am quite aware. And prepared to face the consequences.”

“Very well…” Mòrag sighed. She put her hands up and allowed the guards to approach her. Hesitantly, Tora and Poppi did the same. The guards began to drag them off, despite Rex and Nia’s resistance. The attendant accompanied Pyra’s cage as it took her to another part of the palace. Soon, only Zeke and Pandoria were left in the room with the king.

“Why?” He asked, staring up at his father. “Why do you have to bump Pyra off?”

“I see you still speak like a commoner.” The king replied.

“Answer me, damn you!”

“What if I told you I act for justice?”

“I’d have to decide between laughing in your face and spitting in it.”

“I have something to show you that might change your mind.” The king stepped down from his throne and began walking deeper into the palace. “Follow me.” He led Zeke to a secluded room, deep in the palace. Beyond its metal door was a trove of gold and other treasures.

“The royal vault.” Zeke scoffed. “I’ve seen bigger.”

“This is the legacy of our royal line.” The king explained. “In its entirety.”

“I don’t…” Zeke thought for a moment. Suddenly he understood. He grabbed the king by the shoulders and slammed him into a nearby wall.

“My son, I-”

“Why?” He asked, his eye pleading. “What does a lie like this have to do with Pyra?”

“Let me explain.” The king said, calmly brushing Zeke’s hand aside. “The truth about this country.”

-

Rex bashed his sword against the door of the holding cell. It deflected harmlessly off the stone, protected by a thin layer of condensed ether. Unfazed, he swung at the door again, and met the same result.

“It appears the flow of ether energy is being blocked off.” Dromarch commented, watching Rex run at the door again. He and the others were all locked in the same circular holding cell.

“Damnit!” Rex shouted, throwing his sword at the wall. “While we sit here, Pyra is-”

“Calm down, Rex.” Gramps said. “You’re just wasting your strength like this.”

“But we have to do something!”

“Calm down.” Nia said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We’re not going to punch our way out of this.”

“Both the walls and floor are built to withstand great force.” Dromarch observed. “We cannot hope to dent them without our ether.”

“I am not going to wait patiently.” Rex said. He picked up his sword and struck it against the wall again.

“Your efforts are pointless.” Mòrag said. She and Brighid stood by Tora as he fiddled around with some of Poppi’s internal wiring. “We’re essentially inside a giant ether net. Even if we do manage to break through, it’ll almost certainly be too late.”

“We need helpful suggestions, Mòrag.” Nia sighed. “You know something about how this dampener field works. Could you give us a hand?”

“We won’t get anywhere with brute force. But our captors did make one mistake. They left us our weapons. And our Blades.”

“What good will that do us if we can’t use them?” Rex asked.

“True, we can’t.” Mòrag smirked. “But Tora… well that’s another story. Are you ready back there?”

“Preparations complete.” Tora announced. “Just give the word?”

-

Zeke stood on a balcony overlooking the city. He was stewing in thought after everything the king told him.

“So what now, my Prince?” Pandoria asked.

“This pisses me right off.” Zeke shook his head. “Doing it for the world, my arse. How self-serving can you get? This country’s strangling itself to death with its own web of lies and excuses.”

“That’s great and all… But I mean what do we do about Pyra? We’re not going to let them kill her, are we?”

“Of course not.” Zeke turned to face Pandoria, sweeping his cape out to the side. “If we’re going to break Tantal free of this curse, we’ll need Rex and Pyra’s help.”

“Rex? Really? Pyra I can get, but…”

“No faith, eh?”

“He’s not exactly the savior type.”

“He’s trying to build a better world. That’s more than most can say these days.”

“Whatever.” Pandoria shrugged. “You know I’m with you all the way. So what’s the plan?”

“We bust our chums out and save Pyra. It won’t be easy, but-”

“Oh, quit it with your drama?” Pandoria smiled. “When are things ever easy for us?”

-

“What’re you two planning?” Rex asked.

“Tora shall explain.” Tora sauntered forward. “Both Drivers and Blades use ether energy to fight, yes?”

“You can skip the lecture, Tora. Even I know that.”

“But right now, friends cannot, yes?” Tora continued.

“We’ve been over this.” Nia sighed.

“But Rex-Rex and friends forgetting one very important thing!” Tora tapped the side of his goggles. “Poppi is Artificial Blade.”

“Her ether furnace.” Nia nodded. “So we do have a supply of ether after all. Still, that doesn’t solve the real problem.”

“Tora transfer crystal from sword of Mòrag to Biter of Poppi.” Tora continued. “Normally, weapon crystal responsible for receiving ether from Blade’s core. So is chock full of own ether supply. If crystal is ruptured when Biter of Poppi detonates, will create even bigger explosion. If hits straight on, resulting blast should make quick work of door.”

“When we arrived, I noticed the ether dampeners in the walls.” Mòrag said. “I gave one of my crystals to Poppi just in case. Though I had hoped my suspicions were incorrect, at least we have a way out.”

“Step back, please.” Poppi said. She took Tora’s shield and lined it up at the door. “Will take a moment to properly align.”

“Not that I’m not thrilled.” Rex said as he and Nia cleared the way. “But what was your plan for having to fight a sword down?”

“I can generate a new one from my core.” Brighid explained.

“Don’t tell me you don’t even know how Blade weapons work.” Mòrag sighed.

“I’ve been a Driver for about three weeks, alright?” Rex replied. “And I’ve never lost or broken my-”

“Fire in hole!” Poppi shouted. She let loose a Biter from the shield with the sword’s crystal mounted firmly on the front. It struck the door and cracked. An instant later, the Biter exploded, and the crystal ruptured. Concentrated ether burst forth in every direction, tearing the door to shreds.

“We did it!” Tora shouted.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Zeke coughed as dust filled the hallway. He and Pandoria were just on the other side of the door when it exploded. “We came all this way to bust you out, too! How inconsiderate!”

“You kept us waiting, Shellhead.” Nia said. “Still, good to have you back. Not going to get in trouble with dad for this?”

“I’m the prodigal son anyhow.” Zeke shrugged. “It can’t get any worse.”

“Where’s Pyra?” Rex asked, walking through the ruined doorway.

“Lowest floor of the palace.” Pandoria replied. “We need to move though. Your breakout made quite a bit of noise.”

-

Pyra groaned as she opened her eyes. She’d drifted in and out of consciousness after the ether strike. Being disconnected from Rex’s half of her core didn’t help either. Whatever was suspending her in the air was also cutting off her ether flow.

“Mythra?” She thought. “You awake?”

“Here.” It took her other half a moment longer than usual to respond. “I was wondering when you’d come to.”

“Where are we?” Pyra looked around. She was still trapped in the cage that had grabbed her in the throne room, but now she was suspended from the ceiling of a dome shaped room. Behind her was a translucent circle of blue glass, which looked out onto Genbu’s snowfields. In front of her, dozens of ether lines converged on a metal structure in the middle of the room. A large pair of metal half-cylinders connected by a series of ether coils. Red ether nodes glowed along its insides, cycling energy from its base to the end of the cylinders pointed at Pyra. The front end of the device glowed red hot from the accumulated energy.

“Is that Torna’s ether accelerator?” Mythra asked. “I thought Malos destroyed it.”

“They must’ve rebuilt it.” Pyra sighed. “Can you contact Siren from here? I don’t like the idea of firing a blast this deep into a Titan, but-”

“No.”

“No as in you can’t? Or…?”

“I’m not using my power like that again.”

“Even if it means letting them kill us?” Pyra asked.

Mythra was silent for a moment. “It’d save us the trip.”

“How can you say that?! After everything we’ve-”

“We agreed our power was too much for the world to handle. We agreed on what needed to be done when we were sealed away. Are you telling me you’ve changed your mind?”

Pyra didn’t reply.

“I know you want to spend more time with everyone. I do too. But you’re kidding yourself if you think it’ll work out.”

“I know.” Pyra sighed. “I just… I’m not ready yet.”

“You’re never going to be, with that attitude.”

“And you are?” Pyra didn’t receive a reply. The pair sat alone for a time, not speaking.

“If this is where we go out,” Pyra continued, “Then I’d at least like to pass on the message before we do.”

“I suppose we owe him that much.” Mythra agreed. “Speaking of which…”

“I see them.” Pyra said. The king had entered the room from the other side of the ether accelerator, flanked by a pair of guards.

“Good luck.” Mythra said. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

“Thanks.” Pyra muttered as the king approached.

“I apologize for this, noble Aegis.” The king said. “I have no personal grievance with you. However, for the sake of the world, you must be destroyed.”

“Before I go, I’ve got a message.” Pyra said. “From Addam. To the people of Torna.”

“There is nothing you can say that will change my mind.” The king shook his head. “Begin.”

A guard sitting behind the accelerator’s controls nodded once. A moment later, the weapon began to power up. Red ether began to crackle along the barrel, building up with each cycle of the coils.

“Please, hear me out.” Pyra continued. “Addam could guess would happen after he left. He knew that your ancestors would-”

“Enough!” The king shouted, his fist clenched. “Addam was our great country’s founder. We are his legacy. We must do what he could not.”

“I’m not asking permission.” The crystal on Pyra’s tiara began to glow. Green light poured out of it, projecting the shape of a man in front of the king. Before the message could play, however, the room shook. Pyra’s concentration broke, and the image flickered out. The king began to shout orders to his guards as the room shook again. A dozen arranged themselves around the doors the king had entered from. A moment later, they burst open.

A dragon crashed through the doors, flattening them. The guards barely had time to get clear before it ploughed through their formation. It was twice as tall as a human, with a wingspan to match. Its skin was hardened stone, covered in spikes and shifting plates. As it stood, it balanced on two digitigrade feet. Its tail swished behind it and wrapped around a cannon resembling a miniature ether accelerator mounted on an armored ring. It brought the cannon up just in time for Zeke to crash into it, sword crackling with electricity. The cannon took the brunt of the force, but it turned just enough that Pyra could make out the Core Crystal glowing in its chest. Electricity sparked between the spines of its head, collecting in its mouth. Zeke jumped aside as it breathed a blast of energy directly at him.

He scrambled to his feet as the rest of the group ran in behind him. Nia jumped and kneed the dragon in the face. She slammed her rings into its temples as it staggered back. Zeke swung for its legs, and it beat its wings. It shot into the air, just out of his range. Pandoria and Dromarch ran to support their Drivers as they gave chase. Rex and Mòrag charged the guards’ formation. Brighid tossed Mòrag a sword, and she raked it across the ground. A wall of flame broke through the ranks the guards had just reformed, and Rex slipped past before they could stop him. He ran straight for the man controlling the ether cannon. Mòrag cracked her whips, throwing out walls of fire to prevent the guards from following him.

Poppi flew overhead as Rex reached the accelerator. She hit the ground next to him, rolled for a moment, sprang up, and rocketed back into what had hit her. It was a Blade, wearing white segmented armor that gave off a soft blue glow. There was little distinction between where her body armor ended and where her skin began, as they seemed to be made of the same metallic substance. Her skin was ashen, her eyes red, and her hair a long, pale blue. A mechanical visor slipped over her eyes from its resting position on her forehead. She raised a pair of golden objects, one in each hand. They were shaped like Pyra and Mythra’s Core Crystal but came up to her waist. As she faced their ends at Poppi, they expanded, the long end splitting in two and glowing lights along the body flaring up. Twin bursts of golden ether shot out from the cannons. Poppi dodged one, but another curved and struck her from the air. The Blade instantly collapsed one of its weapons and held it up to block a Biter Tora had fired at her. Unfazed by the explosion, she crouched momentarily and sprung forward, straight for Rex.

Mòrag swung her whips and caught the Blade in the side of the face. Her whips wrapped around the Blade’s head as she pulled her to the ground. Rex used the opportunity to begin climbing up to the control seat of the accelerator. The dragon dropped from the ceiling, aiming its cannon at Rex’s head. Zeke’s sword struck it in the side, throwing off its aim as it fired a blast of ether into the ground. The sword caught the dragon in the back as Pandoria recalled the blade. The dragon managed to wrench itself free, but it was close enough for Dromarch to his with a sonic blast. It hit the ground. Before it could get back in its feet, Nia struck it in the chest. She kept it grounded while Zeke ran to help Rex.

The pale Blade dropped one of her cannons and wrapped an arm around Mòrag’s whips as she stood, not bothered by the flames along their length. She pulled on the whips hard, nearly ripping them from Mòrag’s hands. Mòrag ran with the momentum, throwing herself at the Blade. She kicked it across the face. The Blade expanded her free cannon and drove it into Mòrag’s stomach to arrest her momentum. Mòrag smirked. Poppi crashed into the blade and slammed her gauntlet into the Blade’s knee. She fired off an explosion, throwing herself back and bending the Blade’s leg an incorrect angle. As the Blade reeled, Mòrag knocked away its second cannon and pinned its neck with her sword.

The Blade managed to get its grip around the cannon it had dropped just as Rex reached the control platform. She fired off a single blast of light ether that struck the accelerator just below Rex, destroying his footing. She wrenched her hand to the side as Mòrag knocked the cannon away, blasting Zeke from the accelerator’s side as well. He fell back to the ground, but Rex managed to shoot his anchor into the side of the console and catch himself. As he began to pull himself back up, the dragon threw Nia off itself and shot up, flying straight for Rex. It held its cannon aloft and fired a beam at his head. He spotted it and released his anchor just before the beam reached him.

He fired his anchor into one of the dragon’s wings as it flew overhead. With Rex’s added weight pulling it to one side, it began flying in an arc toward the wall. Rex pulled himself up to the dragon’s wing and onto its back as it tried to swat him aside. He slotted his sword into the dragon’s mouth as it growled and grabbed the other end. With crude reins in place, he jerked its head to the side, aiming for Pyra’s cage. He jumped off the dragon’s back as they passed by, catching and dangling from part of the cage around Pyra’s arm.

“Rex!” Pyra shouted. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you out of this thing.” He grunted, pulling himself up and straddling the cage. He began hunting for a mechanism he could tamper with to unlock her restraints. Eventually, a box atop the cage generating the ether flow of her cuffs caught his eye. He began to kick at it, trying to wrench it free.

Below, the pale Blade had managed to throw Mòrag off and aimed one of her cannons at Rex. The king, however, caught her gaze and shook his head. She nodded and lowered her weapon as Mòrag stood.

“Tora!” She shouted, pointing to the cannon. The Nopon was busy holding off the guards from Nia and Zeke while they scaled the accelerator on Dromarch’s back. He only had to take a glance at the residual ether coming out the top of the barrel to know it was ready to fire. The king gave a signal, and the guard at the controls pulled a lever.

“I won’t let you!” Zeke screamed. He jumped from Dromarch’s back and landed, sword first, on one half of the accelerator’s barrel. Lightning shot out from his sword in all directions, including up his arm. It engulfed him as it engulfed the weapon, clashing with the ether stored in the coils and jumping between the nodes. The firing sequence was delayed a moment, but the guard didn’t panic. He began to work the controls further as the lightning coiled around Zeke, keeping him from moving.

“Poppi!” Tora shouted. “Lift from below!”

“Roger, Masterpon!” Poppi flew around and slammed into the bottom of the accelerator’s barrel. Hands braced against it, she overclocked her jets. She burned through almost her entire ether reserve in seconds, but she managed to tear the accelerator from its base and tilt it back. It fired not a moment later. The ether shot out from the accelerator in an orange beam. It passed just above Pyra and Rex and hit the translucent window behind them. Instead of shattering, however, the window focused the ether. It passed through the other side thinner, and straight into another window at the opposite end of the snowfield. This one reflected the beam, casting it up at an angle and out through a vent on the crown of Genbu’s head.

Rex anchored himself into the wall and gave the box one last kick. It tore free, and Pyra’s restraints blinked out. He caught her arm with his free hand before she fell and lowered them to the ground. As their feet touched down, Rex practically deflated. The grin on his face dropped, however, when the dragon landed next to him, cannon poised to take his head off. The others rushed to his defense, and Pyra threw up an ether shield. The king, however, simply shook his head. After a moment, the dragon lowered his cannon. The pale Blade and the other guards likewise backed off their assault. The others eyed the king warily as they circled around Rex and Pyra.

“Five hundred years.” The king sighed. “For five hundred years Tantal has kept itself hidden away from the world. For five hundred years, we have kept our people safe. And you shatter that peace in a day.”

-

“When our homeland fell in the war, the Hero Addam did not return to us.” The king explained, facing a borderline hysterical Zeke in the royal vault. “Torna as a country was united around the Hero. And without him, it fell into chaos.”

“So we’re not Addam’s bloodline?” Zeke asked.

“Our family were a cadet branch of the Tornan royal lineage. We only gained our current position in the confusion of the war’s aftermath.”

“Damn it all…” Zeke turned from the king and punched a nearby chest. “We’re just a bunch of usurpers!”

“They were desperate times. The nation had to continue at all costs.”

“Even if it meant claiming Addam’s name?”

“With its guiding force gone, much blood was spilled among the Tornan refugees. Our family did what was necessary to reunite them under the new banner of Tantal.”

-

“Legends of the hero who saved the world are deeply ingrained in people’s hearts.” Mòrag said, after Zeke finished informing them of what the king had told him. “And you people used them for your own political agenda?”

“No wonder you’re trying to off Pyra.” Nia sighed. “She could blow the entire lid off your story.”

“I had to act in the best interests of my people. If word were to spread of our illegitimacy, then-”

“Having been through your city,” Brighid said, cutting him off, “I’d say your peoples’ interests aren’t the first thing on your mind. You were just protecting yourself.”

“I was also protecting the world. If the Aegis is allowed to roam free, it will burn once more.”

“Don’t you dare try and sugarcoat it.” Zeke spat. “You saw an out, and you took it, damn the consequences.”

“That is the way of the world.”

“You honestly believe that?” Nia asked.

The king didn’t answer.

“So what now?” Rex asked. “Are you going to try to kill us again?”

“My people can never know that the Hero failed to return home.” The king said.

“He didn’t fail to return.” Pyra said. “He chose not to.”

“He… Chose to abandon his people?”

“I was trying to explain earlier.” Pyra sighed. The crystal on her tiara began to glow again, projecting the image of the man once again. Color was hard to make out, as the image was all green, but he wore sleeveless plate armor similar in design to Jin’s. A sash with the same crest Zeke had shown the party hung from his belt, and an iron sword rested across his back.

“Here me, my scions.” The image of Addam spoke. “My name is Addam Origo. This day I seal the Aegis away from the world. But this seal is not for eternity. In anticipation of the way that humanity becomes worthy of the Aegis’s power, I entrust her to posterity. She is our hope. When mankind has matured and learned to lead better lives, she will return to you. Trusting that day will come, I leave my final wish to you. Leave her to rest until humanity has passed this trial.”

“Addam left this message behind with me when I went to sleep.” Pyra said as the image flickered out.

“But for what reason?” The king asked.

“I asked him that once. He told me that humanity had to overcome itself and learn to coexist with Titans and Blades. A lesson it wasn’t going to learn from either of us.”

“Well…” The king removed his crown and stared at it for a moment. “If the last five hundred years were a trial, it would appear we failed spectacularly.”

As if to punctuate his statement, the room began to shake violently. Everyone lost their balance. It took several seconds for it to subside and everyone to get back on their feet. Everyone but Pandoria.

“No.” Pandoria muttered, still on her knees and clutching her core. “No, no, no. Listen, damn it.”

“What is going on?”

“Genbu’s gone crazy! He’s diving, and he’s not stopping! My words can’t reach him!”

“Damn it, old man!” Zeke spat. “You just had to go and fire the gun, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean?” Dromarch asked.

“The accelerator draws on Genbu’s ether to fire its main battery. With Genbu’s circulation as poor as it is, putting that much strain on its ether system could have done some serious damage. I doubt it’s thinking rationally right now.”

“Genbu is going to keep diving.” Pandoria said, pulling herself to her feet with Zeke’s help. “If we don’t stop him, the pressure will crush us sooner or later.”

“Dumb old git.” Zeke said. “That’s what happens when you use antiquated parts.”

“What’s Genbu’s depth limit?” Rex asked.

“Twenty-five thousand peds.” One of the guards spoke up. “Give or take. We were circling at around twenty-two hundred before the blast fired.”

“I don’t know our dive rate, but it can’t be too fast.”

“A hundred and twenty peds.” Pandoria offered.

“Per hour?”

“Per second. It’s his top speed.”

“Which gives us about three hours.” Zeke frowned.

“Shellhead’s good at maths.” Nia remarked.

“Bite me. This is serious.” Zeke began to leave the room. “There’s a pressure resistant pod in the palace’s southern tower. You guys should get in and escape.”

“What about you?” Rex asked. “Or the civilians?”

“Don’t worry about us.” The king said. “We can take care of ourselves.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Nia sighed. “We’re not leaving a city of people behind to die.”

“Right.” Rex nodded. “There’s got to be another option.”

“Only Pandoria can tell Genbu what to do.” Zeke said. “If it won’t budge for her, it’s no use. All we can do is try to evacuate while we still can. We’ve got some smaller Titans in the city that might be able to get some people out, but-”

“Where is the Omega Fetter?” Pyra asked.

“Right, I forgot about that. We keep it in a vault inside Genbu’s head. I can go retrieve it before we’re all crushed to death, if you want to carry on your mission.”

“That’s not what I mean. The Omega Fetter is Ophion’s control core, and Ophion is my Artifice. I know how to use it. Genbu isn’t an Artifice, but I might be able to use the Omega Fetter to calm him down.”

“Pyra being serious?” Tora asked. “They try to kill Pyra one minute ago!”

“That’s a totally separate issue.” Rex shrugged. “Right?”

“Tora get it. Then Tora and Poppi also help!”

“We’re running short on time.” Nia said. “Let’s stop standing around and go get the bloody thing, already.”

“You would all risk your lives for this?” The king asked. “For the sake of Tantal?”

“It’s not about Tantal.” Rex shook his head.

“Then why?”

“I don’t know.” Rex shrugged. “Maybe I’d like to believe we haven’t failed that trial yet.”

“The only way to the Fetter is through the spinal column.” Zeke said. “But we can’t afford to waste time. Poppi, can you blow out that window up there?” Zeke pointed over his shoulder to the translucent lens Pyra had been suspended above.

“Should be no problem.” She said. She studied the lens for a moment before jetting up and slamming her gauntlet into the side. A crack appeared, and she continued to hammer away.

“Herald, how fast can you carry someone down?” Zeke asked, addressing the dragon Blade.

“It’ll be faster than walking.” Herald said. Its voice was loud and guttural. “Five, ten minutes for the lot of you.”

“Good.” Zeke smiled. “Once Poppi finishes-” A loud crash signaled that Poppi was done. Having caught onto the plan, the group moved toward the lens as Herald picked up Tora and Nia. It flew through the window, followed quickly by Poppi.

“Zeke!” The king called after him.

“Save it, old man!” Zeke shot back. “If you’ve got time to stand around, you’ve got time to start the evacuation! If Pyra can’t fix this, we need to save as many civilians as we can.”

“…Understood.” The king donned his crown once more as Herald returned to take more passengers. “I am counting on you all.”

-

The journey to Genbu’s Crown was considerably shorter with Herald’s help, but he had an evacuation to assist, and they still had to trek across the snowfields. The ether blast and Genbu’s descent had stirred up some of the wildlife, but mostly the animals were running scared. Genbu’s ether had turned a deep red, and the glow it cast had spooked everything the blast hadn’t. There were no obstructions as they made their way to Genbu’s spinal column. The column’s entrance was surrounded by large stone ruins. A great set of stairs that lead down to it, partially worn away and buried in the snowdrifts. Mòrag stopped to glance back up at the capital looming above them as they began their descent.

“Lady Mòrag, are you alright?” Brighid asked.

“I’m fine.” She shook her head, continuing on with the group. “I’m just thinking… The way the king was acting, I can’t help but feel he’s still hiding something from us.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” Nia shrugged. “What do you think he’s hiding?”

“It was the Praetorium who sent us here. Why would he go to such lengths to reject Praetorian envoys? It seems to me that he wanted to cut ties with them.”

“So you think Indol is holding something over the king?” Brighid asked.

“It’s a possibility.” Mòrag said. “Zeke, do you know anything useful?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “If there is another dirty family secret, it’s either buried good or too old for the record books. Though, for my money, any secret worth hiding would be from our country’s founding. We managed to convince the world we were the children of Addam, I doubt it’d be hard to stack some more conspiracy on top.”

“Unfortunate.” Brighid sighed. “There is nothing in my journal from that period. I was most likely returned to my Core following Emperor Hugo’s death.”

“Do you know anything, Gramps?” Rex asked.

“No, I was somewhere else at the time.” Gramps said, popping out of Rex’s helmet. “And matters of human kingdoms and so on didn’t interest me much.”

“Geez Gramps, what’s the point of keeping an old-timer like you around if you don’t even know anything?”

“Sometimes, it’s funny how much you sound like Corrine.” Gramps chuckled.

“This secret…” Dromarch muttered. “If it exists, and is really as old as you think, then perhaps it is related to why Jin and his comrades are using Torna’s name?”

“There’s too many unanswered questions to say for sure.” Pyra said. “But there’s something that happened while I was asleep. Something that caused things to play out differently than Addam had thought.”

“We can ruminate later, chums.” Zeke said. “We’ve got a spinal column to climb.” The group had reached the entrance of the column. The landscape of the passageway was fragmented, torn up and strewn about along with disparate chunks of long-destroyed buildings. The walls and ceiling were melted, exposing Genbu’s bones in more than one place.

“What happened here?” Rex asked.

“The Aegis War.” Gramps sighed. “A skirmish, in the grand scheme of it, but I remember the fight well.”

“Must’ve been a hell of a battle.” Nia said.

“This is what Malos’s army would do to any Titan they came across. Scour the landscape. Torna, Coeia, Uraya, Temperantia, Genbu, Candoris, Sthenos… All Titans wounded or outright sunk by Malos and his Artifices.”

“What is an Artifice anyway?” Rex asked as the group began navigating the broken landscape. “We’ve only met Ophion once, and that Rhea one Bana fixed up wasn’t in the best shape. We’ve never even seen Siren, just the light it shoots down. And the way you talked about Aion… You still haven’t really explained what exactly these things are.”

“They’re a power granted to the Aegises. Divine swords sleeping in Elysium. Siren and Ophion responded to my call at the start of the war, and descended from Elysium to aid me, but I haven’t been able to reach any others. Aion’s a special case, as both Malos and I seemed to have knowledge of it when we awoke. But I doubt either of us will be able to tell you much about it, other than that it’s up there somewhere and very, very powerful. Powerful enough to sink a Titan in a single strike.”

“Hold on. I thought Elysium was a paradise, not a weapons stash.”

“…I don’t know.” Pyra sighed.

“You don’t know?” Zeke asked. “You’re an Aegis, how can you not know?”

“I’ve never seen Elysium.” Pyra said as they reach a staircase at the end of the column. “All I have are the scattered images of a townscape buried deep within my memories. I don’t know why father created the Artifices, or me. That’s why I want to go back.”

“We’ll find out when we get there.” Rex shrugged. “No sense in worrying about it until then, is there?”

“I guess not.” Pyra smiled.

“Stow the chit-chat.” Zeke said. “We’re nearly there.”

At the top of the staircase was a small clearing. Mounted on its ceiling was the same kind of ether focusing lens from the palace. Yet more ruins lined the walls, but on the opposite side a single building was still intact. It was stone, dome shaped, and covered in blue ether lines. Pandoria led the group up to the building’s door. She sent a pulse from her core, and a blue ring in the center of the door responded. The door slid open. The inside of the building was bare save for a single mechanism in the center. Dozens of gold rings wrapped around each other in a sphere suspended from the ceiling. Zeke pressed his hand against a seal protruding from the dais below the mechanism, and the rings began to move. They unraveled, aligning into a disk and retracting into the ceiling. Hovering in the former center of the sphere was a glowing blue cube.

“Looks like a Core Crystal.” Rex remarked. “I’m guessing…”

“The Omega Fetter.” Pyra nodded. As she spoke, Genbu shook again.

“We have to hurry.” Brighid said. “There’s no telling-”

“Incoming!” Mòrag shouted from the back of the group. Everyone scattered, ducking or crouching down as a large arrow flew overhead. Pyra switched to Mythra and put a shield around the Omega Fetter, deflecting the projectile.

“So it was hidden all the way out here.” Akhos said, standing in the center of the clearing with his bow. Patroka and Mikhail stood on either side of him. “No wonder we couldn’t find it.”

“Deal with them.” Mythra said, extending her hand toward the Omega Fetter. “I’ll deal with Genbu.” Everyone scrambled outside, forming ranks around Mòrag.

“Lovely to see that tedious woman isn’t here to get in our way this time.” Patroka smirked.

“Big words for a Bladeless Driver.” Zeke said. As he spoke, Pandoria sealed the door to the Fetter’s chamber.

“Worry about yourself, jackass.” Patroka spat. “I could take a punk like you bare handed.”

“You’re in for it now.” Nia said. “Shellhead here’s tougher than most.”

“Still hanging around them, Nia?” Mikhail asked. “I’m hurt. It seems like you’ve forgotten all the time we spent together. Care to join me in a dance, for old times sake?” Mikhail spun around and offered Nia a hand.

“I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.” She sighed.

“Mean little girl.”

“Enough chattering.” Akhos said. “We’ve got work to do.”

“Here for the Fetter, I take it?” Rex asked.

“Perceptive, kid.” Mikhail tapped his forehead.

“Condescending much?” Nia asked. “It’s not like there’s anything else here.”

“You are so mean.” Mikhail stomped his foot. “I’m rescinding my offer to dance.”

“I said enough.” Akhos said. “We’re not just here for the Fetter. We’re here for your lives, too.”

“And how do you plan on doing anything without your Blades?” Zeke asked, looking down his nose. “We’re no pushovers, you know.” He crossed his arms and stood back to back with Pandoria.

“Can’t you tell?” Akhos asked. “Maybe I should make it obvious.” He reached up and unbuttoned the top strap of his armor. Two of the plates parted, revealing a glowing Core Crystal. It was speckled with dark red, like the core in his bow. Patroka and Mikhail held out weapon cores of their own. Core Crystals on their chests, previously hidden by the folds of their armor, began to glow. They threw off waves of ether, coalescing into weapons around the crystals in their hands. Patroka’s crystal was speckled like her brother’s but manifested as a large glaive with a mace head capping its haft. Mikhail’s was pure blue and manifested a pair of bladed hand fans.

“They’re Blades?” Rex asked.

“Worse.” Mòrag frowned. “Flesh Eaters.”

“Bravo!” Akhos said, pointing to her with his free hand. “Very good. We’ve had interruptions in the past, but here that seems less likely. So let’s go all out.”

Rex’s foresight activated, and he saw Akhos manifest and fire an arrow past the group and into the door. Prepared, he struck it from the sky.

Mikhail thrust one of his fans toward Rex as he swung. One of the fan’s blades shot out a spike of purple ether at Rex’s chest. Tora threw his shield, knocking the spike away. Poppi jumped and shot forward at Mikhail. Patroka jumped to intercept her. Rocks tore themselves from the ground and gathered around the mace end of her glaive. She swung the resulting mass at Poppi, who barely had time to get her guard up before being swatted into the wall.

Akhos manifested another arrow and fired at Zeke. The arrow stretched as if flew, blurring into a long mass of electric ether. Zeke swung his sword and bisected the ether. Mòrag ran in close before he could fire another shot. She swung at his head, and he blocked with the guard of his bow. He jumped back, grabbed a protrusion on the interior of the lower arm, and pulled. The two arms folded down into a single curved blade. The section of the lower arm he had pulled extended, forming the haft of a scythe that met the head at a crooked angle.

Mòrag jumped after him, and the two began to trade blows. Zeke ran to assist her, but Patroka landed in front of him. He fired his sword at Mikhail, who was busy engaging Nia, and still managed to block a swing of Patroka’s glaive with his handle. He parried her attacks, pushing her in a circle toward Rex and Tora. Tora recovered his shield and swung for the back of Patroka’s leg. She kicked out, slamming his shield into the ground. She jumped off it, swinging her glaive’s mace at Zeke’s face. He dodged and struck her in the ribs with his handle. She stumbled back, and Rex struck her from behind with a blast of ether.

Mikhail and Nia exchanged blows nearby. He would catch her strikes in the grooves between his fan blades before firing off blasts of dark ether. Until Zeke’s sword caught him in the side. He collapsed to one knee, and Dromarch forced him down further with a sonic roar. Pandoria ran up and grabbed the sword. She and Nia simultaneously swung at Mikhail’s head from two directions. He managed to raise his hands in time to block both attacks. As he stood, Poppi tore herself from the wall and shot forward at Mikhail again. She punched him square in the jaw. He crumpled.

“My face.” He moaned, rubbing his cheek as Poppi shot past him toward Akhos. He tried to pursue, but Nia swung at him again, forcing him to jump back. Poppi cut her jets and extended her legs, dropkicking Akhos in the stomach. He caught her legs with one hand and swung at her neck with the other. His scythe’s blade scraped against her metal skin but didn’t slice it open. Frustrated, he swung again, slamming her face first into the ground. Mòrag threw one of her swords at his exposed Core Crystal as he did. He had to release Poppi’s legs to knock the sword aside. Instantly she kicked him in the jaw, knocking him into the ceiling. She jumped to punch him again, but that part of the ceiling tore itself free.

Patroka swung her glaive at Rex, and the chunk of rock containing Akhos followed suit. Rex dodged both, the latter slamming into the building behind him. Akhos pulled himself from the rubble and reformed his bow. He manifested and fired three arrows simultaneously. They arced as they flew, aimed for Rex, Tora, and Zeke. Tora’s shield weathered the blast. Zeke recalled his sword and bisected the arrow like he had before. Rex rolled to the side and fired his anchor at Akhos’s foot. As Akhos lost his footing, Tora fired a Biter at him. It struck Akhos, but before the Nopon could follow up, Patroka landed on his head. She swung her glaive, tearing up strips of the ground and sending them at Zeke. Poppi jetted over to Patroka and fired two Biters at her. She jumped, and Poppi immediately jetted into her. Poppi slammed her against the wall and began to drag her as she circled the battlefield.

Mikhail rolled past Zeke and swung at his head with a fan while his back was turned. Zeke raised his sword to his back and blocked the strike without looking. Pandoria slammed her fist into his ribs and shot out a blast of electricity. He swung his fans at her as he flew, firing a wave of dark ether that caught her in the stomach and knocked her to the ground. Instantly, Zeke was next to him. His sword swung clean through Mikhail’s fans, catching him in the shoulder. Zeke forced Mikhail to the ground, lightning crackling across his body. Mikhail fired a spike of dark ether at Zeke, and it struck his forehead. Zeke didn’t move. He kneed Mikhail in the stomach, pinning him against the wall. He raised his sword to decapitate Mikhail.

Akhos fired a blast of electricity past Zeke, striking Poppi and breaking her grip before folding back to his scythe and blocking a swing from Rex. Patroka jumped off Poppi and swung her glaive at Zeke’s head. He ducked below the strike, and a pair of spikes tore off the wall underneath Mikhail’s arms. They shot straight for his eyes, forcing him back. He straightened up and reached for his eyepatch, but Pandoria put a hand on his shoulder. She shook his head, and his expression softened.

Mòrag and Rex both swung at Akhos as Tora ran to check on Poppi. He managed to avoid getting hit, but Rex used his foresight to corral him away from the door. He jumped back from one of Mòrag’s attacks, and Brighid caught the back of his head with a blast of flame. He whirled around as he hit the ground, launching himself at her. He swung for her Core Crystal, but she put up a shield to protect herself. Mòrag caught his leg with one of her whips and dragged him back. He kicked off the ground and spun, firing an arrow straight at Mòrag’s eye. She met the arrow’s head with the point of her sword, and it exploded. She shot back, dragging Akhos with her. He had his scythe ready to swing at Rex’s head. Rex smirked, and Dromarch knocked him into the wall with a blast of water.

“Enough of this!” Patroka screamed. She knocked Zeke’s sword aside and ran into the center of the clearing. Mikhail broke from engaging Nia and ran to her side, spreading out a trail of darkness as he went. Akhos jumped into the air and fired half a dozen arrows. The ones that weren’t deflected hit the ground and began firing lightning at the surrounding area. Between the wall of darkness Mikhail was generating and Akhos’s lightning rods, no one was able to get a clean shot at Patroka. She raised her glaive, and fragments of rock began to swirl around it. They formed into the head of a great spear, longer than she was tall and with a head almost as wide as the door. She had it aimed squarely at the building.

Before she should throw it, the door opened. Mythra was on the other side, holding the Omega Fetter under one arm. An instant later, a blast of golden light speared through the lens in the ceiling, striking Patroka’s weapon. It’s core cracked, and it crumbled. Similar blasts followed for Akhos and Mikhail. The three collapsed to their knees, weaponless. Instantly, Mòrag threw up a wall of flame, cutting off their escape route. Poppi and Tora aimed at them, and Dromarch moved into position behind them just in case. Patroka attempted to move, but Akhos pulled her down. He shook his head, and Mythra smirked.

“It’s done.” She said, tossing the Fetter to Rex. “Genbu should be back to normal.”

“Alright.” Pandoria said. She closed her eyes and focused for a moment. Genbu groaned in response but complied.

“Are we rising?” Mòrag asked.

“Yes. I’ve told Genbu to resume circling the Cloud Sea once he’s done.”

“You’ve got a hell of a knack for dramatic timing.” Zeke smiled. Mythra glared at him.

“Great news!” Tora shouted, deflating slightly. “Tora was not look forward to becoming flat as Argentum Monkfish.”

“All’s well that ends well.” Nia smirked. “So what do we do with these guys?” She nodded over at where the three were still crouched. Patroka was glaring daggers at Mythra, Mikhail was still nursing the punch Poppi had given him, and Akhos was keeping one eye on the lens in the ceiling.

“Where are Malos and Jin?” Mythra asked, walking up to them. “There are a few things I need to ask them.”

“Frankly,” Akhos shot back, “I don’t think they’ve got much interest in what you have to say.”

“I took your weapons because I wanted you alive.” Mythra’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t make me change my mind.”

“Easy.” Rex said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re not nearly as intimidating as you think.” Patroka spat.

“I hate to interrupt the verbal sparring.” Zeke said, walking up next to Mythra. “But this has gone on long enough.” He began winding up his sword, swinging it in the air a few times for effect. Mythra and Rex both backed up. “Nighty night, chaps! Very much looking forward to interrogating you later!” He wound up his sword one final time. Lightning began to crackle along the edge.

“Here I go!” He shouted. “Bringer of Chao-” Jin appeared behind him. Instantly Zeke spun on a dime and jumped to the side. It wasn’t fast enough to avoid taking a hit to his ribs as Jin moved past him.

“Seems they don’t call you “Thunderbolt” for nothing.” Jin said as Zeke collapsed to one knee. “That’s the first time I’ve ever missed a vital point.”

“It’s about to be your last.” Zeke spat, dragging himself back to his feet. He jumped forward, one hand pressed against his wound, and swung at Jin. Jin’s form flickered, and he vanished, appearing next to Akhos. Ice ether began to flow out from his waistcoat, suppressing the flames behind him.

“My Prince!” Pandoria shouted as Zeke stumbled into the group.

“Don’t worry yourself…” He panted, struggling to steady himself. “It’s just a scratch.”

“Jin, are you okay?” Akhos asked as the three got to their feet.

“Relax.” Malos said, ascending the stairs. “He’s not made of glass.” Dromarch swiped at him with his claws. Malos knocked the paw aside and struck Dromarch in the chest, sending him flying back toward Nia.

“Would you look at that.” Mikhail smirked. “The gang’s all here.”

“Malos.” Rex spat.

“Long time no see, kid.” Malos grinned. “Don’t worry about me, I’m just a spectator.”

“Not for long. I’m going to make you pay for Vandham, just as soon as we’ve dealt with Jin.”

“A noble sentiment. Makes me sick to my stomach.”

“Comes with the territory.” Rex shrugged. “Being Addam’s successor, and all.”

“Where’d you get that idea?”

“You said so yourself. Back when we first fought. You said we had the same eyes.”

“Oh, that?” Malos chuckled. “Sorry, kid, but you’re way off base. Addam was kick ass. He had grit. He could protect people. A real pain in my ass, if I’m honest. You…” He motioned at Rex. “You aren’t him. You’ve got a long way to go to stake a claim on that-” Malos stopped talking as he noticed Jin’s stance shift. He leaned against a nearby wall and settled in to watch.

“You will give me both the Omega Fetter and the Aegis.” Jin said, leveling his sword at Rex.

“Come and get ‘em, then!” Rex shouted. He slipped the Omega Fetter into his pack and leveled his sword back at Jin.

“Words do little.” Jin took a step forward. The ice ether began to intensity. “If you know what you desire, you will have to show it. Not with words, but with your own strength.” The ice was practically a blizzard, swirling around Jin. His body began to glow. His armor changed from gray interlocking plates to one sleek, black suit. It covered his entire body save for his chest and back, which it left exposed. At those edges, it seemed to fuse directly with his skin. The armor was stylized with scale-like plates on his legs and sweeping fins jutting out from his lower back. The center of his chest bore a long, diagonal scar.

“His armor’s different.” Rex said as the blizzard began to subside. “Anyone know what we’re looking at?”

“Beats me.” Nia shrugged. “Maybe it’s his “true form” or something.”

“This is new for me too.” Mythra said. “He couldn’t do this during the war.”

“What enormous energy.” Dromarch said, having pulled himself to his feet.

“There no change to ether of surroundings.” Poppi said, studying Jin. “That energy coming from interior of body.”

“Just like Pyra and Mythra, then.” Nia said. “Where do they even keep all that energy?”

“How about all that rage energy he’s got pent up inside?” Zeke asked. He stood from Pandoria’s arms and readied his weapon, his grip still shaky.

“Focus!” Mòrag shouted, lowering her stance a fraction. Jin swept his sword to the side. “Here he co-”

Before she could finish, Jin moved. He ran through the group faster than they could react, slashing as he went. Rex barely managed to avoid the strike thrown his way, but the others weren’t as lucky. Mòrag had taken a bad hit to her shoulder, Zeke was bleeding from his chest, and Tora was unconscious. Nia and the Blades were holding it together, more or less, but had all lost their footing.

Rex tracked Jin’s afterimage as it moved around the clearing. His foresight kicked in, letting him know that Jin was about to make an attack, but when he moved to parry the strike, Jin was already in his face. Rex swung at him, but he disappeared. Rex could tell he had moved behind him, thanks to his foresight, and ducked to avoid one of his attacks. As soon as it passed, however, he received a flash about a second strike. Rex dodged it too, but the attacks kept coming. Eventually, they outpaced Mythra’s ability to predict them. Jin sliced Rex’s arm open, and he fell to the ground. Mythra stumbled with him, the wound appearing on her as well.

“A couple more wounds like that, and they’re done for.” Malos smirked. “It’s their biggest weakness.”

“Your struggle is pointless.” Jin said as Rex stood up. “My power gives me control of the flow of time itself. No matter how far ahead you can predict, your movements themselves are limited. Unless you can move at the speed of light, your attacks will never reach me.”

“You talk too much.” Rex spat. He swung his sword and unleashed a blast of ether at Jin. He flickered out of sight. Instantly, Mythra fired a blast from Siren. It struck right as Jin reappeared. The blast tore up the ground around Jin, sending a wave of ether in every direction. Rex smirked for a moment. When the smoke cleared and he saw Jin still standing, his expression faltered.

“How?” Mythra asked. “That hit dead on!”

“Your attacks are composed of a stream of energy.” Jin said. “That stream is too heavy to truly reach the speed of light. It’s over, boy.”

Rex’s eyes went wide. He took a step back and glanced around for an escape route. Jin didn’t give him one. Mythra threw up her shield as he shot forward, but he cut clean through it. In a flash, he sliced through Rex’s sword as well. It shattered, reduced to barely more than the handle and the darkened core. The pair hit the ground. Mythra switched over to Pyra as she collapsed.

“Rex! Pyra!” Nia shouted. She pulled herself to her feet and jumped at Jin. An object shot out from the tunnel and slammed into her. It was one of the Artificial Blades, the Blade Bots, from the factory in Mor Ardain. It was complete, now, outfitted with black, segmented armor and a fully functional ether propulsion system. More poured into the clearing as the first one pinned Nia down. Dromarch rushed to her aid and was tackled by two. Zeke and Mòrag managed to get on their feet and knock a few from the air before they too were overwhelmed. Within seconds, everyone had either been pinned to the ground or otherwise restrained.

“Artificial Blades!” Tora shouted, struggling under the weight of one. “From factory!” Next to him, more than half a dozen had piled onto Poppi as she tried to buck them free.

“You won’t win so easily!” Mòrag shouted. Flames shot out from her back, impaling the two Blade Bots holding her down. They swirled around, acting like extra whips as she ran forward. From behind Jin, a spike of dark ether struck her in the leg. She collapsed, and Mikhail sauntered up to her. He was the first to have regrown his weapon.

“You’re quite a looker, from up close.” He said with a whistle. “Killing you will be such a waste.” He brought one of his fans close to her face. She knocked it aside and drove her sword into his gut. Her weapon’s blade cracked, and he stumbled back.

“You pig!” She spat. Before she could stand, however, another pair of Blade Bots pinned her to the ground.

“Stop this!” Rex shouted. He attempted to stand, but Jin kicked him in the stomach.

“I’m surprised you’re still breathing.” He said, drawing his sword up close to Rex’s chest. “You’ll be able to rest after I’ve pried that Core Crystal from your chest.”

“I refuse… to die here….” Rex wheezed. “Elysium is… still waiting for us… with our answers…”

“What answers? In this world, there are no answers.” Jin raised his sword to pierce Rex’s chest.

“Wait.” Malos said, standing straight. “I’ve got a parting gift for the brat before you do.”

“By all means.” Jin lowered his sword and stood aside. Malos approached Rex and crouched down.

“I’ve got to hand it to you, kid.” Malos chuckled. “You are something else. You fought all the way here thinking you were the successor to some great hero. But let me tell you the truth.” Malos paused and grinned, savoring the moment. “Back on the ship, you didn’t remind me of Addam. I saw my own Driver in your eyes. Cold, dead eyes that saw right through me. Eyes ready to burn the world, given half a chance. You had Amalthus’s spark of genius. But now…?” Malos stood. “Now you don’t even have that. You’re weak. Useless. Sickening just to look at. And you’re not worth my time anymore.”

“Enough.” Pyra said. She’d dragged herself to her feet while Malos was talking. “I’m the one you want, right? Leave them out of this.”

“What a touching scene.” Mikhail said. “You’ve finally found people you care about. Are you going to kill them too?”

“No mockery, Mik.” Malos frowned. “This is serious business.”

“I’m dead serious.”

“Mikhail…” Pyra said. “I never meant to-”

“Shut up!” He roared. “Just shut up! You killed Milton and Hugo! Not Malos, You! And when you ran away, you might as well have killed-”

“Mikhail.” Jin said. One glance was enough to shut him up.

“Put the sword away, Jin.” Pyra said.

“You are in no position to bargain. You’ve lost.”

“I beg to differ. Put the sword away. Or I will annihilate myself. You need me alive, right Malos?”

“You worked that much out, did you?” Malos asked. “Well done. But how will you make good on that threat. You don’t have that kind of-”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Pyra grimaced. Her Core Crystal began to glow, and a red light descended from the sky above the lens. It enveloped her.

“This is a shock. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“What’s going on?” Patroka asked.

“She’s controlling Mythra’s Artifice herself.” Malos took a step away from her. “I’m impressed.”

“She’s controlling Siren through sheer willpower?” Akhos asked. “Is that even possible?”

“Would you like to find out?” Pyra shot back.

“Go ahead and fire.” Jin said. “I’ll move you out of the way before the attack reaches us.”

“Maybe if I used the particle cannon itself. But this is the targeting ray. Pure light. And if I turn up the output just a little, that light alone has enough power to annihilate a single Blade. One signal from me, and my body will be scoured from this world. Faster than you can blink. No matter how much you slow time, you can’t stop that.”

“How unexpected. Does this mean you’ll open the gates to Elysium for us?”

“Doesn’t look like I have much choice.”

“Pyra, don’t!” Rex shouted. “They’ll just-” Malos kicked him in the stomach again to shut him up. Instantly both Pyra’s eyes and the targeting ray narrowed. Parts of Pyra’s armor began to burn under the heat. Malos put up his hands and took a few steps back.

“Very well.” Jin sighed. He sheathed his sword. “But we still need the Fetter.”

“I know.” Pyra said. She reduced the beam’s output and began to walk toward Rex. She glared between Jin and Malos the entire time, making sure they kept their distance.

“Pyra.” Nia said, struggling to get out from under the Blade Bot.

“Keep Rex safe for me.” Pyra replied.

“No way! I don’t agree to this! Pyra!” Nia continued to struggle but didn’t get anywhere.

“What’s the plan?” Rex whispered as Pyra knelt next to him.

“This is the plan.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Rex. I wish we could have gone to Elysium together. Goodbye.” She reached into his pack and withdrew the Omega Fetter. He reached out toward her, but she stood out of his reach. She tossed the Fetter to Malos and nodded toward the tunnel. Malos shrugged and led the other three, save for Jin, back down it. Just as Jin had started to move too, her body gave out. She collapsed to the ground. Jin approached her and picked up her unconscious body.

“Look at the state of you.” He shook his head.

“Hands off her!” Rex spat. “Get over here so I can kick your ass!”

“And you.” Jin’s eyes narrowed on Rex. “You hadn’t even noticed. Your own Blade has been wounded so deeply, yet all you can think of is yourself! You awakened the Aegis, so I thought you might have been different. But you’re just a fool. A pitiful, childish fool. I will not suffer you any longer.” He whistled. One of the Blade Bots holding Mòrag down scurried over to Rex. It raised one of its claws to slice his throat, and the others did the same.

“Not today!” Zeke grunted. His skin crackled with energy. It lanced between the Blade Bots, striking them all off their prey. A light was leaking from underneath his eyepatch. Zeke screamed, and the lens above them broke. In that moment, Genbu broke the surface of the Cloud Sea. Clouds rolled through the lens, washing over all the Blade Bots. Zeke locked eyes with Jin, and the Clouds seemed to change direction, all spearing for him at once. With a sigh, he disappeared, carrying Pyra off with him.

Zeke collapsed to his knees as Rex stood. He looked around, frantically, for where Jin was going to appear next. But Jin was gone.

“PYRA!!” Rex shouted. Tears began to stream down his face. He shouted her name until he couldn’t shout anymore. Then he just collapsed.


	8. Chapter 7 - The Fear She Carries

The man awoke to a raging headache. Like a boulder being pressed against his head. He groped blindly, a groan escaping his lips, and his hand grasped the neck of a bottle. It wouldn’t help the headache, but at this point he doubted it would hurt either. He choked down two swigs before he began to wretch. He scrambled for the trashcan, barely managing to drag it in front of him before his stomach’s contents spilled free. What little food he had in his stomach was gone, and his headache wasn’t improving.

With a sigh, he dragged himself out of bed. He heard a faint droning in his ears, but quickly dismissed it. He had work to do. He stumbled to his workbench and reviewed the notes again. It was his idea, and his alone. Something no one could hold over him, not even her. But it would require her machine. The Trinity Processor. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t have another option. He took his last swig and tossed the empty bottle into the can by his bed. As he did, he caught a glimpse of the sun through his window. A fake, like everything else in the station. He couldn’t wait to get away from this place. Just as he was gathering his notes for the experiment, the door to his room swung open.

“Professor!” The woman shouted, marching into the room. The blaring in his ears grew louder. Only then did he recognize the drone of the station’s alarm.

“Must you interrupt?” He moaned, rubbing his eyelids. “I’m trying to work.”

“What are…” She stared at her surroundings. “Professor, what are you doing? I haven’t seen you in nearly a week. Have you been in here the whole time?”

“I’ve been working. Not all of us were born with your natural talent. What is it you need, Doctor?”

“The Saviorites have renewed their assault! We need to be prepared to initialize the Zohar!”

“I’d love to.” The man muttered. “But you fired me, remember?”

“You endangered the entire station with your lunacy. I had no choice. But, since your replacement isn’t here yet, I need you to run point on the procedure.”

“Find someone else.”

“Why, do you have something better to do with your time?”

“In fact, I do. I’ve designed an experiment I think will work this time. I just need a little bit of the Zohar’s power, and I can finally prove my-”

“You’re still trying that? You’ve done the math, same as I have, you know it won’t work.”

“I’m not convinced we initially framed the problem correctly.”

“Even if you’re right, you know the Director will never approve it.”

“Humans are fools.” The man scoffed. “For all our achievements, we can’t help but destroy ourselves. But with the power of the Zohar we could be so much more. I could be so much more.”

“Grow up!” The woman shouted. “Honestly, I don’t know what I expected! If you’re so intent on pissing your life away chasing phantoms, you can do it on your own time! But if you want to stop feeling sorry for yourself, I’m giving you twenty minutes to sober up and be at your post!”

“Oh yes, my duty!” He spat, standing up to meet her face to face. “Designing weapons for a dictator! Noble work, to be sure! I’m sure you’re proud of everything we’ve accomplished! After all, your processor has enabled this farce to continue as long as it has! But because I dare to dream of a higher purpose, you philistines cast me-”

She slammed the door in his face. He sighed and returned to gathering his notes. If he wanted his experiment to succeed, he still had more work to do.

-

Amalthus and the Praetor stood in the innermost chamber of the Praetorium. In front of them was an artifact, centuries older than either man but virtually untouched by the ravishes of time. A great shield patterned in gold with the image of the world tree.

“What’s this?” Malos asked, approaching the two men from behind. He broke apart into ether as they turned around and reformed in front of the shield.

“Malos, enough.” Amalthus said. He stepped forward to control his Blade, but the Praetor put out a hand.

“This is Indol’s most sacred treasure.” He said. “The Aegis. It is said to be an embodiment of the Architect’s light. The divine revelations our founder Meldinare received.”

“Really.” Malos chuckled. He placed his hand against the Aegis’s surface. With a smirk, a blast of dark ether ruptured the artifact and scattered its remains across the floor.

“You dare-” Amalthus began to shout.

“I am born of divinity.” Malos said. “I’m no mere reflection. If anyone deserves the title of Aegis, it’s me.”

“You believe yourself so strong?” The Praetor asked.

“I sank Coeia for you. What more proof do you need?”

-

“Praetor Amalthus.” The magister said, knocking on the door. The interruption drew the Praetor back to the present. He stood on a balcony outside his office, overlooking the Praetorium.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Our men have returned from Tantal. I have their report ready for you.”

“Come inside.” The Praetor returned to his desk as the monk entered.

“Yes, Your Eminence.” The magister bowed as he entered. He handed Amalthus some documents, which he looked over for a moment.

“I see.” He sighed. “So Jin finally has his hands on the Aegis. It seems the boy wasn’t good for much after all.”

“Forgive me, Your Eminence. I do not follow.”

“Tell the seers to chart a course for the World Tree. And begin preparing the ceremony.” Amalthus stood and removed his miter. “It is up to us now.”

-

Light streamed through the window as the sun set. Rex didn’t know how long he’d been in the bed. He barely even remembered passing out. Everything was a blur. With a groan, he sat up straight. No one else was in the room. Even Gramps had left his helmet empty. He looked down at the wounds he’d received during the battle. Someone had taken the time to dress them while he was out, apparently. His hand brushed up against the handle of his sword, lying next to him on the bed. He picked it up and stared at it. It took a moment for reality to set in. When it did, he began to cry.

-

Everyone else sat around the bottom floor of the local inn. None of them felt like returning to the Palace, but they needed a place Rex could rest up. Pandoria has stepped out, and Zeke was sulking near the wine kegs, but the rest of the group were spread out across a few tables in the center of the dining area. They were the only patrons at the moment. Even the owner had stepped out.

“Rex-Rex still sleeping?” Tora asked, mostly just trying to break the silence that had settled over them. “It two days now.”

“His injuries were quite severe.” Dromarch said. “The worst is over, but his body needs time to recover.”

“Time we don’t have.” Nia said. “Every second we waste, Jin gets closer to-” She stopped as she noticed Rex walking down the stairs. He had a pack slung over his shoulder. He almost walked straight past the group without a word.

“What’s that?” Nia asked. He stopped.

“…I’m leaving.” He said, staring straight ahead.

“But… Where will you go?”

“Good question. Can’t live on Gramps anymore. Maybe I’ll head for Fonsett. Auntie could use an extra pair of hands around the house while I figure out my next move.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Nia stomped up to him. “What about Pyra? You understand how desperate the situation is, right? Or have you finally lost it?”

“I know.” He sighed, staring at his feet. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“I’m done.”

“Done?”

“When I got used to the idea of being the Aegis’s Driver—her Driver—I felt like I could do anything. But I was just kidding myself. All I’ve managed to do is hurt her, again and again. So…” He shook his head and resumed walking. “I’m done.”

“Oh for crying out loud!” Nia grabbed Rex by the shoulder and spun him around. “She got herself caught to save you!”

“I know!” He shouted, throwing her hand off and looking her in the eye. “So what?”

“So what?” Nia stepped back. “Do you even hear yourself?”

“Those guys are way out of my league.” Rex cast his gaze back down. “I can’t beat them. It’s hopeless. I understand that now. She’ll be safe with them. They’re not going to hurt her like I do. So I’m leaving.”

“You little…” Nia growled.

“I’ve just been kidding myself this whole time. Me, a Driver? What a joke. In the end, I’m still just some kid from Fonsett. Salvaging’s all I’m-”

“You bloody idiot!” Nia screamed. She punched him square in the jaw, knocking him into a group of barrels. She stared down at him, doing her best to keep from hitting him again. He just sat there, rubbing his jaw.

“Huts, yeah?” She asked. “But that pain’s nothing compared to what Pyra must be feeling right now!” She walked over to Rex and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him to his feet. “She went with those bastards knowing full well how much it would hurt! For our sake, not hers!”

“I know!” Rex shouted back. “But what do you want me to do? I couldn’t even slow him down! Even Siren’s attack couldn’t touch him! What chance do I have against a guy like that?” Nia let go, shaking her head, and he picked his pack up from the ground. “The more I fight, the more Pyra gets hurt. She’ll be better off without me by her side.”

He slung the pack back over his shoulder and resumed walking. He didn’t take two steps before Brighid stood from her seat. He looked up to see her walking over to him. Instead of say anything, she just slapped him across the face. The two stood there like that for a moment.

“Do you actually mean that?” She asked. “Do you not have the slightest idea how it felt for her to leave you? Pyra thought you’d be better off if she was dead, did you know that? She sacrificed herself so that we could live! You drove her to this, but here you are, giving up! You said you’d get Pyra to Elysium, didn’t you? You’ll eat your words, just like that?”

Rex didn’t reply.

“Forget it.” Nia sighed. “We’ll rescue her on our own. Let this loser go wherever the hell he wants.”

“Come now.” Dromarch said. He stood from where he’d been lying. “Let’s not start fighting amongst-” Mòrag put out a hand to stop him.

“Let’s give them a chance to work this out.” She said. “Shall we?” She turned to Zeke, who was also in the process of standing up. He made a face at her but complied, taking his seat again.

“Something off.” Poppi said, marching toward Rex. “Rex not behave like himself. Giving up after one loss? That not Rex I know at all!”

“I guess you don’t know me very well.” He shook his head.

“Now is not time for excuses!” Poppi shouted. She pulled her hand back into a fist.

“Poppi!” Tora shouted, jumping to his feet. Even Mòrag stood up. Rex braced for the impact. But it didn’t come. She tapped the side of his head gently, and he opened his eyes.

“Poppi is hurt to see Rex like this.” She put her hand against his cheek for a moment. “Poppi and Masterpon are not real Blade and Driver. So Poppi and Masterpon looked up to Rex lots. Rex worked very very hard to get this far. When Rex tries hard, Poppi and Masterpon try hard. Rex like bullseye we aim for. Without Rex, we not know which way to go. So please…” She sounded like she would have cried, if she was capable. “Rex cannot give up and stop here.”

“Poppi, I…” He tried to say something, but he didn’t have the words. He just looked down at his hands. “As far as I’m concerned, you are a real Blade. And Tora…” He looked up at the Nopon. “You’re a better Driver than I ever was. You don’t need me around anymore.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, chum.” Zeke said. Pandoria had returned during the commotion and was whispering something into his ear. “But you don’t get to take off just yet. My old man wants to see you before you go.”

-

“Are you alright to be up and about?” The king asked.

“I’m fine.” Rex replied. The others glanced at each other but didn’t say anything. “All healed up.”

“Sincere apologies.” The king bowed his head. “If I hadn’t attempted to destroy the Aegis, Torna would not have had the upper hand.”

“If you’d done nothing, they’d have come for her anyway. You’re not to blame, your majesty. It’s…” Rex looked down. “My fault.”

“I wonder…” The king frowned. “Still, I feel I owe you an explanation. Of the history of our people. When Torna fell, its people were rent in twain. Some followed Addam, who sought to live alongside Blades and Titans as equals. Others opposed him, preferring to consider humans as the masters and Titans as mere tools. When Addam failed to return, his rivals—my ancestors—seized power. Claiming they were Addam’s descendants, and leveraging the power of the Omega Fetter, they declared themselves the Tantalese royal dynasty.”

“We heard all this last time, old man.” Zeke said. “What’s all this about?”

The king ignored him. “Before long, they resolved to protect their lie from meddlesome foreigners by descending deep into the Cloud Sea. The Praetorium, for their part, did not protest.”

“You talk like they knew your secret.” Mòrag said.

“Indeed.” The king nodded. “They knew we were not of Addam’s blood. But they offered their silence in exchange for an annual tribute. A fixed quantity of Core Chips.” The king nodded at his assistant, standing by the door. A moment later, the stone walls of the throne room began to retract into the floor. Behind them were dozens of glass pipes flowing with ether.

“Genbu’s ether flow.” Dromarch observed. “Drawn in from the Cloud Sea. Spending so much time this far down, one would think the flow would be stronger.”

“It would be. If we did not siphon off much of Genbu’s flow for refinement into Core Chips. What you see before you is the ether we pump from Genbu’s circuits. Our cold climates and poor harvests—they are the unfortunate side effects of this process.”

“You’re killing the Titan to maintain your lie.” Mòrag clenched her fists. “And what do the Praetorium get out of this deal?”

“Alrest at the time was in crisis. For the Praetorium, it was a precious chance to expand their sphere of influence.”

“It was then that they used the cleansing procedure to secure a monopoly on Core Crystals.” Dromarch commented. “But I do not recall the Praetorium ever distributing Core Chips as well.”

“That’s because they don’t.” Mòrag said. “Mor Ardain used to mine ours directly from our Titan’s ether stream, like you. We think it’s one of the reasons our Titan is dying so young. We conquered Duthracht nearly three centuries ago to deal with that issue. Most other nations source their Core Chips from Osiria or the Krustalos Trade Guild. But the Praetorium’s never stepped in to regulate distribution. So why are they hoarding so many Core Chips?”

“I confess I do not know.” The king said. “My ancestors were not in a position to ask or make demands. And as a result of our tribute, Tantal fell into a chronic energy shortage. Over the centuries… You have seen for yourselves what my kingdom has become.”

“So why not just leave the Cloud Sea?” Nia asked. “Genbu can move, right? Just go somewhere warmer.”

“They fear contact with other nations.” Mòrag said. “Too afraid it might expose the truth behind the legends they spun about Addam.”

“Indeed.” The king continued. “And now that the Aegis has awakened, the Praetorium demanded we hand over the Omega Fetter. They threatened to reveal our secret if we did no acquiesce.”

“So that’s what was in the letter.” Zeke muttered. “That would certainly explain things.”

“Enough was enough! I couldn’t stand by and let the Tantalese people suffer any longer. I knew there was a chance the Praetorium would use the Aegis against us. But I thought that if I could neutralize her power, we would stand a chance of opposing them. And perhaps by saving my people from poverty, I could absolve the sins of my forefathers.”

“You didn’t think about using the Aegis’s power yourself?” Nia asked.

“Wielding such power is beyond my means. I am under no illusions. But I wonder…” The king returned his gaze to Rex. “Does the same apply to you?”

“It looks that way.” Rex shrugged. “I’m flattered you think so highly of me, but when it counted, I let them down. I let everyone down.”

“I would not be so sure.” The king picked up a book from the throne behind him and offered it to Rex. “This tome contains the deeds of the Hero Addam. It was written by a man named Minoth, one of Addam’s closest friends.”

“Old man Cole wrote this?” Nia asked as Rex took the book. He flipped through some of the pages.

“You know of Minoth?”

“We’ve met him, actually. He’s a Flesh Eater, runs a playhouse in Fonsa Myma.”

“That simplifies matters, then. This book contains the only surviving record of Addam’s life, right up until his disappearance. According to Minoth, Addam saved the world with a white sword and then disappeared with a red sword. But, in the brief period of time between these events, Minoth makes mention of another sword. The third Aegis Sword.”

“There’s a third?” Rex asked, passing the book to Nia. “First I’ve heard of it.”

“A sword as transparent as diamond, giving off a clear, brilliant light. Minoth knew little of this sword’s origins, but claimed it was so mighty that it allowed the Aegis to sink Tantal in a single strike. Even Addam could not contain the power it commanded. Minoth suspected Addam had sealed it away upon his disappearance, much like the Aegis herself. He also suspected that this sword alone was the one true sword of the Aegis.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Rex asked.

“You were defeated by Jin. Doubtless that man is a powerful warrior. But can this be right? Can the Aegis herself truly be outmatched by a single opposing Blade? Would it not make more sense to presume that you lost because you have yet to unlock the true power of the Aegis?”

“I lost because I was holding them back. I wasn’t strong enough.”

“Strength is born of conviction. When I looked into your eyes when we first met, I saw a fire in them. You did not lack conviction then. But the Aegis… There was no fire in her eyes.”

“Shut up!” Rex spat. “You don’t know anything about her! What she’s been through, what she’s sacrificed! She fought harder than the rest of us combined!”

“I see Jin did not succeed in extinguishing your fire entirely.” The king smirked. “You must find this third sword if you’ve any hope of facing him again.”

“What you’re asking is impossible.” Rex sighed. “I can’t defeat Jin, with or without that sword. I’m sorry.”

“You will not fight? You would abandon your duty as the Aegis’s Driver?”

“We lost. There’s nothing more we can do, not against him.”

“I don’t believe that.” Nia said. “Your Majesty, where is that sword?”

“Regrettably, Minoth does not specify its location in the text.” The king said. “But, as you seem acquainted with him, perhaps you can ask him yourself.”

“Then that’s where we’ll start. Thank you for everything, Your Majesty.” Nia gave a small bow before turning to leave. She didn’t even look at Rex as she left the throne room. As she walked past them, the others did the same. Soon, only Rex and the king were left.

“They have not yet lost faith.” The king commented.

“They’re marching to their deaths.” Rex shook his head.

“You weren’t this fatalistic when we first met.”

“I was kidding myself, thinking I could change things. But in reality, I’m just as powerless now as I was before.”

“You were not powerless when you rescued the Aegis from certain death. You were not powerless when you overcame my personal guard, or when you saved my entire kingdom from destruction. I do not think you are powerless now. I think you are afraid.”

“That’s rich, coming from the coward king. Hiding in your palace while your people starve.”

“Indeed.” The king nodded. “I have failed my people. I owe them a great debt that I will spend my entire life repaying. But a man I once respected told me that humanity’s trial was not yet over. He believed that we could still make a difference.”

“The he was a fool.” Rex said.

“Indeed, it appears he is.”

“Thanks for putting us up the last couple of days.” Rex turned his back to the king. “I guess this makes us even for you putting me in prison.” He left the room, and the king didn’t protest. As he emerged from the palace, he saw Mòrag and Brighid waiting for him.

“Took you long enough.” Mòrag sighed. “Where to now?”

“What do you mean, where to?” Rex asked. “I’m not coming with you guys. I thought I’d made that clear by now.”

“I was ordered to guard the Aegis. She’s out of our reach at the moment, but as her Driver you are the one most likely to rescue her. I’ll accompany you until that happens.”

“Not going to try to convince me to go with the others?”

“I go where you go.” Mòrag smiled. “Whatever else you do is your decision.”

Rex frowned. Mòrag wasn’t betraying anything, but Brighid was scowling at him.

“I guess I can’t stop you.” He sighed. “Grab whatever you need from the inn, but I’m not waiting on you. We’re heading out for Argentum as soon as possible.”

-

“You really can’t judge a book by its cover.” Akhos said, busy adjusting the parameters of the pod Pyra’s unconscious body was in. “Who’d have thought that sweet-looking girl would threaten to destroy herself? Didn’t she realize taking her own life would mean the boy died too?”

“She knew exactly what she was doing.” Malos replied as he opened the pod next to her.

“The whole thing was a bluff then?”

“No, not at all. She used her core to replace the kid’s heart after Jin put paid to it.”

“I’d gathered as much. Still, to think such a thing is possible… Aegises truly are a breed apart.”

“Our cores encode the blueprints for all life, but they still gather information about the outside world like any other Core Crystal. The fact that their injuries are mirrored is just a side effect of their twin cores exchanging information. If you wanted to be poetic about it, you could say their very lives are intertwined.”

“Poetic? You?” Akhos laughed. “There’s an amusing thought.”

“I’m in a good mood today. The point is, there’s nothing to stop her from severing that link. Before issuing the kill order to Siren, she would’ve transferred the remainder of her core to the boy. Letting him live on, heart complete.”

“Could she have survived long enough to give the command without her Core Crystal?”

“She was willing to take the risk.” Malos smirked, laying down in the pod. “After all, I managed it just fine.” As he did, he unclipped the central late of his armor and let it fall to the ground. Under the plate, in the center of his chest, was the remains of a purple Core Crystal, fragments left in a shell in the exact same shape as Pyra’s.

“Well you won’t have to manage for much longer.” Akhos finished up with Pyra’s pod and walked over to Malos’s. He closed the lid and began typing away.

“I thought I’d find you two here.” Patroka said from the doorway. “Mik says we’re almost at the cliffs. How much longer until you’re done here?”

“Shouldn’t be long. We’ve just got to start the extraction process. After that, it’s up to Malos.” He flashed Malos a thumbs up and pressed a button. Malos closed his eyes as ether began to flow between his pod and Pyra’s.

“It’s not normal.” Patroka said as she and Akhos began walking back to the bridge. “How is he still alive with his Crystal in that state?”

“The Aegis is the Master Blade.” Akhos shrugged. “The first Blade the Architect forged. He can do things we can only dream of.”

“Still, how do you fix something like that?”

“I’ve rigged the pods so that Malos can interface with the other Aegis’s core. He’ll extract whatever data he’s missing to restore his own to working order. If everything works, all his power should be restored in no time.”

“And what’s that going to do to her?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. But I’m itching to find out.”

-

“You’re sure we have the right place?” Zeke asked as Nia knocked on the door.

“Unless he sold off the playhouse, then yeah.” She fired back.

“It’s just… This is not the place I’d imagined one of Addam’s companions living.”

“Heropon Addam and Old Man Cole really that close?” Tora asked.

“According to the old tales, the two were practically inseparable. Many of Tantal’s legends and epics about Addam were originally written by Minoth.”

“Are you sure the royalty didn’t just make all that up?” Nia asked.

“Preposterous!” Zeke spat. “They wouldn’t just…” He stopped, the reality of Nia’s question hitting him. “Everything I know is a lie.” He slumped against the door, weeping softly. A moment later, it opened. Zeke fell into Cole’s office, almost knocking into a confused Iona.

“Iona, who is it?” Cole called out from his room.

“Nia’s back!” Iona shouted, stepping over Zeke and running into Nia’s arms. Nia laughed, lifting Iona into the air and spinning her around. The others filed into the room as Cole emerged to check on the commotion.

“My word.” He smiled. “What are you all doing here?”

“Friends came to check on Old Man Cole.” Tora said. “And brought new friends, too.”

“Cole, meet Pandoria” Nia said. “Her Driver is that idiot on the floor there.”

“Zeke von Genbu, Ultimate Bringer of Chaos!” Zeke said, springing up from the floor. “Pleased to meet you!”

“The Thunderbolt Prince?” Cole asked. “Will wonders never cease?”

“He knows my name.” Zeke muttered. He swooned, and Pandoria barely managed to catch him before he fell back to the floor.

“Where are Rex and Pyra?”

“They’re… I won’t lie, things got bad.” Nia sighed. “Jin took Pyra, and Rex isn’t coping well. We’re here because we’re hoping the third Aegis Sword might turn things around. We were told you might know where it is.”

“The third…” Cole muttered. “I see someone dug up my old journal.”

“The king of Tantal gave it to us. I’ve checked the book through a few times, but you never mention where Addam stashed the third sword. Do you have an idea where we might start our search?”

“…No.” Cole looked down and away. “I never found it. And I can’t help you dig it up, either.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“That sword was our saving grace. But it also drove Mythra to the edge. She lost control, and the world payed the price.”

“Lost control?” Zeke asked. “There’s nothing like that in the stories.”

“I know, I wrote some of them. The power of the Aegis was too much for Addam to handle. When she manifested the third sword, it nearly tore him apart. And it sent her into a frenzy against Malos. In the end, she used that power to overwhelm Malos without Addam’s help. Or guidance. Just her stray fire was enough to cut Torna to ribbons. In the moment, people needed Addam to be a hero. He needed to be invincible. And people needed to believe that what the Aegis had done to Torna had been a necessity, not a mistake. So I lied. The world was none the wiser, and I aim to keep it that way.”

“But you do know where it ended up, right?” Nia asked.

“I didn’t-” He coughed. “I didn’t keep track of Addam after Torna fell. Without him, our forces fell to pieces. Jin and his Driver tried to gather the remaining Tornans in Spessia, but a lot of refugees ended up scattered. A few fled to Gormott, a lot ended up in Genbu. I led as many as I could to Uraya, and we tried to eke out an existence as mercenaries for a while. But in my spare time, I did search for the sword. I wanted to destroy it and make sure it’s power could never be used again.”

“Well we need it. It’s the only thing that has a chance of stopping Jin.”

“Pyra had mentioned that he survived.” Cole frowned. “He must have become a Flesh Eater, to have lived this long. What kind of power did he get?”

“He slows time, or some such nonsense.” Zeke said. “It makes him fast enough and strong enough to beat Mythra in a straight up fight.”

“Lucky bastard.” Cole muttered. “Of course. When he does it, everything goes perfectly.” He shook his head. “The situation sounds bad. And I trust you all enough to know you probably won’t go sinking a continent any time soon. I’d tell you where the sword was if I knew, but…”

“You never found it.” Nia hung her head. “Because if you had, the search would be pretty pointless. Back to square one, I guess.”

“Not exactly. I’m too old for the search now, but I’ve been looking for this sword for centuries. I’ve got a pretty good idea where it isn’t.” He opened one of his draws and fished around. After a moment, he pulled out an old map and spread it out on the desk. “If he didn’t seal it up with Pyra, then there’s a good chance it’s on a Titan somewhere. I’ve scoured every major Titan, and I’m fairly confident that Addam sealed in somewhere in Leftheria.”

“Leftheria? Why there?”

“Among those of Addam’s army who survived the fall of Torna, rumor was that he’d gone to Leftheria and settled down. I never found him, but if you’re going to hide something anywhere, Leftheria’s the place for it. You know how the country’s Titans are organized, right?”

“A bunch of smaller ones floating around the big one in the Cloud Ridge, right?”

“Exactly. That central Titan is just about the least accessible place in Alrest, except maybe the World Tree. No way in or out, as far as anyone knows. But if I had to put my money on somewhere, that’s where I’d start looking.”

“Well, it’s something.” Nia smiled, picking the map up off the desk and rolling it up. “And if that fails, we’ve still got a few more places you haven’t ruled out yet.”

“Leaving already?” Cole asked. “You just arrived.”

“We’re against the clock as it is. I wish we could stay more, but-”

“We’d love to stick around for a spell!” Zeke shouted, springing out of Pandoria’s arms. “You can tell us some more stories about Addam!”

“Shellhead, we really don’t have time for this.”

“We not get to hear play about Biggypon?” Tora asked. “Tora was looking forward to it.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Cole chuckled. “It’s not done yet, but I’d love to run what I’ve got by you guys.”

“Fine.” Nia sighed. “Though I wish Rex was here to hear this.”

“He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

“I hope you’re right.” Nia said. She stuffed the map in her belt as the group settled in to listen to Cole recite the play.

-

“But you’re just a fool.” Jin spat. “A pitiful, childish fool. I will not suffer you any longer.”

Rex tensed, clutching the gash on his arm. He looked around for an opening, an opportunity to catch Jin off guard and take Pyra back. He didn’t get one. Bradley charged Rex, knocking him to the ground. Rex scrambled to the side, and Bradley jumped after him, claws reared back. He crashed into Rex and pinned him to the ground with one hand. He raised the other and smiled.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to get the full set.” He said. The scenery changed, from the cold walls of Genbu’s Crown to the smoldering ruins of Rigitte Village. Rex stopped struggling as he felt Bradley’s claw rake against his skin. He closed his eyes, waiting for it to be over.

“This ain’t gonna do.” Rex heard a voice speak. “I thought I told you not to go dyin’ on me.” Suddenly, Bradley was wrenched off him. He opened his eyes to see Vandham, scythes sticking out of his gut, standing over him.

“Vandham?” Rex stammered. “What-”

“You gonna let a punk like this get the best of you?” Vandham smirked, pulling Rex to his feet. “Not on my watch. Now where’s Pyra?”

“Jin took her. He’s- He’s gone.”

“And you’re not going after her? What happened to fighting your war? I thought you said you’d accepted her power?”

“I did, but-”

“Then why are you running?”

“What was I supposed to do?!” Rex screamed. “I did the best I could, and it didn’t change anything!”

“We cannot give up in the face of overwhelming strength.” Fan said, putting her hand on Rex’s shoulder. The background changed again, this time to the ruins of the Judicium weapon in Temperantia. “When faced with the impossible, it is our duty to overcome it.”

“You- You say that, but you died fighting Jin. Right here. I couldn’t protect you either. I wasn’t strong enough.”

“If you thought strength was the issue, then why did you not join the others in their search? Why do you not seek more strength?”

“Because he’s scared of failure.” Jin scoffed. As he appeared, his sword flickered into Fan’s chest. “No, he knows he’s a failure. He’s just scared to admit it. Scared to find out just how much he fails to measure up against Addam the Hero.”

“I am not a coward!” Rex shouted.

“Then prove it.” Vandham pushed a finger into his chest. “If you really cared about Pyra, then you’d go after that sword.”

“I can’t…” Rex muttered, collapsing to his knees. “I let you two die, I let them take Pyra. All I’ve done it let people down.”

“If you really think that, then you’ve already lost.” Bradley said, crouching down next to Rex. He pulled the sword from Fan’s chest and held it above Rex’s. “And you don’t deserve what they gave you.” He drove the sword straight through the crystal on Rex’s chest.

-

Rex sat up in the cot, panting. Another nightmare. The third he’d had in as many days since leaving Tantal. The Titan ship rocked slowly on the Cloud Sea, and the rhythm gave Rex something to focus on. Something to take his mind of the phantoms in his head.

“Can’t sleep?” Gramps asked, uncurling from his ball and standing on Rex’s nightstand. The perks of traveling with Ardainian royalty.

“Nightmares.” Rex sighed. “They’ve gotten worse since we left Tantal.”

“I’m not surprised. You went through something quite traumatic.”

“That’s not it. I let everyone down, not coming on the search. I know that, but… I just can’t. I can’t do it.”

“Something else is eating at you, isn’t it? Something besides the prospect of facing Jin.”

“I promised Vandham I’d get stronger. That I’d fight for Pyra’s sake and accept her power. But when Jin showed up, I lost because… I think I’m still afraid, deep down, of what it means to be the Aegis’s Driver. What kind of power that puts in my hands. Pyra told me that Addam and I had the same drive to protect others, but I wasn’t sure, even before what Malos told me. I don’t think I’m as worthy as Pyra and Mythra think I am, and knowing that she’s got power I’ve yet to unlock? Power that Addam couldn’t even use? That’s what terrifies me. Whatever that sword is, I’m not worthy of it.”

“You’re wrong, and you know it. I’ve seen you put yourself in harm’s way to protect people, time and again. You broke Nia out of that Ardainian battleship, went to rescue Pyra from Malos in Uraya, confronted those bandits in Gormott, saved Tora and his family from Bana’s clutches, and charged down a Judicium Titan weapon without a second thought. You stopped Bradley and put saving lives above your own personal feelings. You even rescued Pyra and Mythra from certain death at the hands of the Tantalese king. What would you call that, if not heroic?”

“I…” Rex struggled for words for a moment before falling silent.

“And another thing. You say you’re afraid of their power? I say you and Addam have that in common as well. He was just as afraid as you are, but he never let that stop him. He wielded Mythra’s sword despite his fear, but without it he would have been no different from Malos.”

“You mean… Addam hadn’t accepted them either?”

“Whether he did or he didn’t, I can’t say. He took that secret to his grave. But I do think that there is a reason he couldn’t use her full power, whatever it may have been.”

“That’s not very helpful.” Rex sighed.

“Are you giving up on them, then? Are you willing to leave Pyra and Mythra in the hands of Malos and Jin? Do you not care what happens to them?”

“Of course I care, but—”

“There!” Gramps shouted. “That should be reason enough, I would think. They are your Blade, and you are their Driver. If the third Aegis Sword can give you even a chance of rescuing them, then you owe it to them to find it.”

Rex closed his eyes. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t get the image of Vandham out of his head. Or Fan. Nia. Dromarch. Tora. Poppi. Mòrag. Brighid. Zeke. Pandoria. Gramps and Corrine. Pyra and Mythra. The people he’d failed.

“I’ve let everyone close to me down.” Rex said. “And I’m afraid that finding the third sword will just make things worse. But… I want to see Pyra and Mythra again. And I want to live up to the faith everyone has put in me. I might fail again, but maybe you’re right. Maybe that doesn’t matter so long as I’m getting another chance to be the Driver—no, the person everyone thinks I can be. The person they deserve me to be.”

“Well spoken.” Gramps beamed. “I’m proud of you, Rex.”

“About bloody time.” Mòrag said, opening the door to Rex’s cabin. She strode in, Brighid in tow, and closed the door behind her. Rex scrambled to his feet, startled by her appearance “I was starting to wonder when you’d get off your arse.”

“Were you listening in the whole time?!” He shouted. Mòrag gave him a knowing look but didn’t reply. He sighed and collapsed back onto his bed.

“Now that we’re back on a sane course of action, might I ask what our plan is?” Brighid asked.

“We’ll need to talk to Cole, first thing.” Rex thought aloud. “The others have probably already gone to him for help, but who knows where he pointed them?”

“Actually…” Gramps smirked. “I might happen to know. Addam buried the sword in Leftheria.”

The other three stared at him, mouths agape.

“And you didn’t think this was pertinent information?” Mòrag asked. “You had clues to its location all this time and never told us?”

“Addam swore me to secrecy. Instructed me to tell no one until I was sure I’d found someone worthy of inheriting the sword.”

“And…?” Rex asked, afraid of continuing his question. Or what the answer might be.

“I think I have.” Gramps smiled. “Now, we should probably have a talk with the captain. If we want to make up for lost time, we need to head straight for Ysheva Harbor. That sword is out only chance.”

“I fear it won’t be that simple.” Mòrag said. “This third sword may indeed be powerful, but we can’t forget about the source of Jin’s own strength. He has abilities that far surpass ours. We can’t beat him if we can’t catch him.”

“You just had to kill the mood.” Rex sighed. “Do you have something in mind?”

“In fact I do.” Mòrag smirked. She pulled a glowing Core Crystal from the folds of her waistcoat and placed it on Rex’s nightstand. “I’ve been giving the problem some thought since we left Tantal, and after consulting with Brighid’s diary I think I’ve hit upon a winning strategy. There might be a way we can slow Jin down, with or without that sword.”

-

It was early morning when Nia and the others entered Garfont. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but it was still bustling with activity. The market had nearly doubled in size, and the number of tents seemed to match. Most of the activity, however, was concentrated in the training ground near the village’s entrance. The Garfont Mercenaries’ ranks had swelled since Vandham’s death, and Finch and Wulfric were putting the recruits through drills. Dolmes was among the new Blades being trained. Gorg sat nearby, manning a table stocked full of baked goods for sale. He was the first to spot the party as they entered the village.

“I’ll be damned.” Gorg smiled, standing up to shake Nia’s hand. “Come back to visit so soon?”

“Passing through.” Nia returned the smile. “We were in Fonsa Myma to talk with Cole and thought we’d drop by.”

“You three have a knack for showing up just when things go to shit, huh?” Gorg chuckled. “Speaking of, I never got the chance to thank you properly for what you did in Indol. You really saved our hides, bringing the Emperor back.”

“It’s nothing.” Nia blushed.

“What was that about things going to shit?” Zeke asked.

“Prince Ozychlyrus?” Gorg asked. “Man, you guys keep some high class company. Wouldn’t have thought that when we met in Gormott.”

“He’s a recent addition.” Nia replied.

“Can we stay on task?” Pandoria asked.

“Right.” Gorg huffed. “Well, I probably shouldn’t be telling you guys this, but… Rumor from Indol is the Aegis has disappeared. Queen Raqura’s moving troops like mad, spreading out as much as possible. She’s even stationed a new battalion in Osiria. We’ve heard some of the mercenaries working for the noble families are pulling double duty keeping watch on the horizon, but no one will say what for. Everyone suspects she’s preparing for war.”

“Well this can’t be good.” Zeke sighed. “We bop off to Tantal for, what, a week? Less? And already the Treaty goes to hell in a handbasket.”

“Well, you guys are here now, so… Where are Rex and Pyra anyway? Don’t tell me-”

“They’re fine.” Nia cut him off. “We’re just gathering some information. We’re meeting back up soon to go after Torna. That’s actually why we’re here. We need to talk to Roc.”

“He’s inside.” Gorg nodded toward the large tent in the center of the village. “He’s still got his old knack for negotiation, somehow, so Yew and Zuo have him consulting on a new contract. They should be done soon.”

“Thanks.” Nia nodded, giving a small wave goodbye. “We’ll wait inside, then. It was good catching up.” Nia and Dromarch led the others toward the large tent. Tora and Pandoria lingered at Gorg’s stand a moment to grab some of the pastries he had on offer before following.

The inside of the tent had been converted into more of a proper headquarters, as opposed to the quasi-hotel-and-bar setup it had before. The flaps opened to a kind of waiting room, several chairs against the walls all facing a desk in the center of the room. It was unmanned when they entered, so they took seats on some of the chairs instead. Dromarch sat at Nia’s feet, Tora and Pandoria examined their take from Gorg next to her, and Zeke sat on top of the desk. Several minutes passed as they waited.

“Ozychlyrus?” Nia asked, one eyebrow raised.

“Don’t even start.” Zeke sighed. “My family has the tackiest sense of taste.”

“Says the man wearing two dozen belts for a shirt.”

“At least I’m not wearing a jumper.” He smirked. Nia growled.

“There’s a great story about his name, actually.” Pandoria said, looking up from her and Tora’s pile of pastries. “He got the idea of shortening it from-”

“No.” Zeke said. “You promised you wouldn’t bring that up again. I’m holding you to that, Pandy.”

“Tora think old name is super neat!” Tora announced in between pastries. “But Tora also like new name too! Why friend Zeke change name?”

“Maybe when you’re older.” Zeke’s eyes narrowed on Pandoria. “Much older.”

“Now you’ve got me interested too.” Nia smirked. “What’ve you got to hide, Shellhead?”

“I thought I heard you guys.” Roc said, poking his head through the set of flaps on the other side of the room and sparing Zeke from further questioning.

“Roc!” Nia shouted, jumping up from her seat and nearly tripping over Dromarch. She ran to embrace him in a hug.

“Not now.” He muttered, putting up a hand to stop her. “Things are… Complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Nia looked past him to see Reez and Godfey standing guard outside the far room. Reez recognized her and ducked inside.

“Queen Raqura’s here?” Zeke asked. “That doesn’t bode well.”

“She showed up this morning offering a big job.” Roc said. “She’s willing to pay through the nose to get us on board, but she’s been shy about the particulars.”

Queen Raqura emerged from the far room, her guard close behind. Roc stepped aside as she approached.

“Your Highness.” Nia said, bowing. The other did the same, Zeke excepted. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”

“Negotiations had reached their conclusion.” Queen Raqura said. “Besides, a visit from the Aegis and her friends is always a pleasant surprise.”

“I wish we could say the same.” Zeke said. Just the act of him speaking drew a glare from Queen Raqura, and he returned it with a smile. “Unfortunately, we’re not here to make courtesy calls. We’re gunning for Torna, trying to head them off before they get to Elysium.

“Marshalling your forces.” Queen Raqura frowned. “It seems we had the same idea. Hopefully you’ll have more luck getting them to sign on than I did. These mercenaries are very particular about what jobs they take on.”

“We’re just here for Roc.” Nia said. “He’s Rex’s Blade, so we came to pick him up. We wouldn’t want to step on your toes.”

“I don’t see him here, though.” Queen Raqura commented. “The Aegis’s Driver didn’t accompany you?”

“He and Mythra are otherwise occupied.” Zeke said. “They’re journeying with Special Inquisitor Mòrag at the moment, but we’ll meet back up with them soon.”

“So the Aegis is still among us?”

“Beg pardon?” Nia asked.

“Word from the Praetorium is the Aegis disappeared in Tantal.”

“We’re trying to keep a low profile.” Nia shrugged. “To avoid catching Torna’s eye until we’re ready to strike.”

“Your Highness.” Yew said, emerging from the hallway behind Roc. “We’d like to-” He stopped for a moment, seeing Nia. “We’d like the opportunity to discuss this with the rest of our men, before we give you our reply.”

“You have two days.” The Queen said. She put up her hood and gave Nia a quick smile. “I’d love to stay and talk some more, but I have preparations to make. If you find yourselves in need of assistance dealing with Torna, my palace is always open to you. Good day, friends of the Aegis.” With two in front and two behind, her guards escorted her out of the tent.

“So.” Yew said. “You guys are… here, again. And you brought the eyepatch guy from Indol too.”

“Good to see you too, Yew.” Nia said. “We were wondering if we could borrow Roc, for a few days.”

“He’s Rex’s Blade.” Zuo said, joining Yew in the doorway. “You don’t need our permission.”

“If my Driver needs me, I’ll go.” Roc said.

“Perfect.” Zeke smiled. “It was lovely seeing you chaps again, but we’ve got to be off.”

“You’re not seriously considering taking a job from Queen Raqura, are you?” Nia asked. Yew and Zuo looked between each other.

“It doesn’t look military.” Zuo shrugged. “I think what Mythra and the Praetor said at the summit has her spooked. She’s hiring mercenaries to protect herself from Torna. As long as you guys are out there, though, I doubt we’ll run into any real trouble.”

“Still.” Yew said. “Vandham wouldn’t want us taking jobs from the Queen recklessly.”

“Let’s not fight in front of the kids.” Zuo laughed. “Don’t worry about us, guys. Just go do whatever it is you’ve got to do. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Nia said. She and Tora waved goodbye as the group left the tent.

“I’m ninety percent sure I’m older than them.” Zeke huffed. “Calling me a kid… The nerve of some people.”

“Well, at least you guys are as high spirited as ever.” Roc said, floating next to the group. “So where are Rex and Pyra, exactly?”

“They’re…” Nia paused, seeing that Gorg and the other Blades were still in earshot. “We’ll tell you on the way.”

“On the way to where?”

“Fonsett Village in Leftheria.” Dromarch said. “We’ve got a lot to catch you up on.”

-

Mòrag swung the axe down, chopping the log in half. She adjusted her sleeve, making sure it was still rolled up, and reached for another. A lock of hair fell out of her bun on her next swing. As she stopped to fix it, she noticed Roc’s head peaking over the village wall as he flew. She could hear Nia’s voice a moment later, deep in the weeds of an argument with Zeke.

“Kirk.” She said, catching his attention as he gathered kindling from under a nearby tree. “Gather up the others and get these logs inside.”

“Yes’m.” He nodded and did as he was told. Morag fixed her sleeves and grabbed her jacket and hat from a nearby fence post. She was just finished getting her gloves back on when Nia came up the hill.

“You’re late.” She said, walking out to meet the group. “I was starting to wonder whether you were going to show at all.”

“You’re the one who ditched us, remember?” Nia punched her in the arm. Mòrag frowned but refrained from commenting.

“Where rest of friends?” Tora asked.

“Brighid and Aegaeon are inside, helping Corrine. Come with me and I’ll introduce you.”

“And Rex?” Zeke asked.

“Off in the woods somewhere. He headed out this morning and hasn’t been back since.”

“I’ll get him.” Nia sighed. “The rest of you go get settled in.” She gave Mòrag a small wave and headed up the hill, taking the same path she’d seen Rex travel on their last visit. It didn’t take her long to find him standing in front of a pair of graves. He didn’t speak or react as she walked up next to him. They stood in silence together for a while.

“I’m sorry.” He said. He wiped a tear from his eye before he looked up at her. “For everything. I’ve-”

“Apology accepted.” She said. “Though I’m not really the one you need to be apologizing to.” She unhooked Roc’s scythes from her belt and handed them to him.

“Right.” He took the scythes and threaded them through the same strap on his belt he used to carry Pyra’s sword. “Let’s go get them.”

-

“This village is known to the outside world as Fonsett.” Gramps said, fluttering in front of the group as they climbed a stone staircase on the village’s outskirts. “But among the locals, there is another name for it. Hero’s Rest.”

“Hero as in Addam.” Zeke nodded. “So this is where he really settled down after the war?”

“Precisely. And shortly before he died, Addam charged me with protecting the village.”

“Why was village so important?” Tora asked. “Seem like lots of other places could have used protecting.”

“It wasn’t the village I was protecting, exactly.” The group reached the top of the stairs. Beyond was a clearing, a meadow of white flowers surrounding a stone obelisk.

“A stone pillar?” Roc asked.

“The Guardian Stone.” Rex said. “Supposedly, the village’s guardian spirit dwells within.”

“Humans.” Gramps sighed. “You work your wings to the bone keeping a village safe, and they give all the credit to a rock. Rex, try turning the stone tablet clockwise.” He motioned to a square on the obelisk’s face, jutting out from the rest of the carvings around the base. Rex managed to turn it, with a little effort. After a quarter turn, some mechanism in the obelisk’s interior released, and the tablet slid back into place. There it pulled apart, revealing the same crest from the doors of the ancient Titan warship.

“The seal of Old Torna.” Zeke muttered.

Before Gramps could tell him the next step, Rex already knew what to do. He reached out and placed his hand against the seal. It pulsed once, and the obelisk began to shake. It began to retract, the ground around it opening. It split and folded into many segments, leaving a hole in its wake. It settled, forming a staircase leading down into the darkness of the Titan’s interior.

“This passage is carved into the branches that link Fonsett’s Titan to the one inside the Cloud Ridge. It’ll take us to the very center of the archipelago, a cavern known as Spirit Crucible Elpys.”

“Quite the name.” Aegaeon said.

“When Addam founded this village, he hid the third sword deep within the body of the Titan in the archipelago’s center.”

“So Cole was right on the money.” Nia smirked. “Though with a seal like this, it’s no wonder he never made it past the front gate.”

“Minoth was not the only one to try, sadly. Over the centuries, a handful have journeyed here from all over the archipelago and beyond, trying to find Addam’s lost treasure. Of the ones who managed to make it inside, none ever returned.”

“Makes sense.” Zeke nodded. “He wanted to keep the sword out of reach, and it sounds like he managed to find the perfect spot for it.”

“He did not intend to keep it sealed away forever. He wanted it to pass into the hands of someone worthy. He said that taking this sword would be the mark of the Aegis’s true Driver. What do you say, Rex?”

“I’ll- I _have_ to do this.” He clenched his fists. “Every second we waste, Pyra and Mythra could be…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the thought.

“We haven’t a moment to lose, then.” Gramps began floating into the darkness. “Just make sure you’re ready for what lies ahead.”

-

Malos’s one remaining eye flickered around the cockpit, assessing his options. It had taken all his strength to preserve the half of his body that still remained, and now he didn’t have the strength to exit his Artifice. It’s possible there wasn’t even an exit left. He didn’t know how long had passed since Mythra struck him from the skies above Torna, but he wasn’t about to die here. He wasn’t sure he would survive leaving either, but he had to try. He wasn’t about to let Mythra win. There had to be a way out, or a way to build back his ether that he hadn’t considered. He-

“Open her up, then.” He heard a voice, faint but clear, through the walls of the Artifice. “Can’t leave good Tornan salvage lying around.” The voice was clearer, now. Humans. Ether. Malos gathered up all his remaining strength and forced himself through the interface, back into the physical world.

He only had enough ether left to manifest as a mass of black tendrils surrounding his core. The group of salvagers that had dragged his Artifice up jumped back as his appeared, but he struck out before they could so much as blink. Several of his tendrils uncoiled from his body and struck them, draining their ether in an instant. Plant life around him died as he continued to absorb, rebuilding his body. Rebuilding his form. Everything except his Core Crystal.

-

“If you hadn’t interfered back then, neither of us would have had to go through all this.” Malos sighed.

“It’s not my fault you can’t handle a plasma cascade or two.” Pyra said. “Is that why I’m here? To relive the past? Getting nostalgic in your old age, Malos?”

“I thought I might share a little something before we got started. It’s unfair of me to ask you to bare your soul and not give anything in return.”

“You expect me to tell you anything?”

“No. I’m going to take what I want. What I lost five hundred years ago.”

“I can’t give you any answers, Malos.”

“No, but you can give me my power back. And in exchange, I’ll go ask father why he made us this way. Just like we always wanted.”

“That’s not what I wanted.”

“No, but the world only needs one Aegis. I’ll finally fulfill that wish of yours. What do you say, Pyra?”

She didn’t have an answer. She didn’t know what it might be, if she were to give one. And she suspected that it wouldn’t have changed a thing.

-

As dark as it was at the entrance, the tunnel didn’t stay unlit for very long. As the walls transitioned from worked stone to a natural cavern, blue motes of light began to dance through the air, casting a soft glow onto everything. As the tunnel descended further, the air began to grow thicker with mist, and the glow around the cores of the Blades began to increase. Suddenly, Dromarch’s paw failed to find purchase as he walked, and he tumbled to the ground.

“Dromarch?” Nia asked. “What’re you stumbling for?”

“Apologies, my lady.” He said, dragging himself up again. “I’ve been feeling a little dizzy…”

“You too?” Brighid asked. “I’ve been feeling it for a while now, though I’m still capable of standing.”

“So this isn’t a usual thing?” Aegaeon asked. “Thank goodness. For a minute, I was starting to think this was normal for Blades.”

“I’m feeling it too.” Pandoria offered. “What’s up with this place? It’s kinda creepy.”

“It’s these lights.” Roc said, studying the motes around him. “They’re absorbing atmospheric ether and preventing us from drawing any in ourselves. I’ve been doing my best to keep them off us, but there’s only so much ether to work with in the first place, so it’s not a real solution.”

“Not only do you have less power, but the power you do have is being absorbed.” Zeke said. “Well that’s jolly tragic.”

“I feared as much.” Gramps sighed. “Legends say that the Spirit Crucible saps the strength of Blades. One of the reasons none have ever returned from its depths.”

“It’s just like in the Tantalese palace, then.” Nia said. “Poppi, how are you feeling?”

“Poppi just fine.” She beamed. “Ether furnace sealed to prevent leakage, so nothing for particles to absorb.”

“Our ace in the hole again, eh?” Rex asked. “At least one of us will be able to fight, if it comes to that.”

“I suppose.” Gramps said. “But we don’t want to push anyone too far. If the Blades run out of energy here, they might not have enough ether to sustain themselves. They’ll be forced back into their core state, and there’s a chance they may never be reawakened.”

“That sounds grim.” Zeke frowned. “Pandy, you’d better back track and guard the entrance, then. Can’t have anyone sneaking in behind us when we’re weakened like this.”

“Why just me?” She asked, stopping. “Won’t I do more good here?”

“Don’t ask dumb questions.” Zeke stopped in front of her and puffed out his chest. “You know very well why.”

“If I’m staying behind, you ought to stay too.”

“I’ll be fine. When am I ever not?”

“If you’re going, I’m-”

“I’m ordering you to stay here!” Zeke shouted.

“Is there something wrong?” Mòrag asked. The rest of the group had stopped up ahead of them, just as the tunnel began to expand.

“Pandoria was just agreeing to stay behind.”

“I’m going with you.” She shouted back. “We made a promise, didn’t we?! Don’t dare say you’ve forgotten!” She slammed her fist into Zeke’s chest. “I go where you go. End. Of. Story.”

“Fine.” He sighed, sauntering to catch up with the group.

“My lady…” Dromarch whispered. “Perhaps-”

“Don’t.” She hissed, just quiet enough that only he could hear. “I know what you’re going to say, and no.”

“Understood…”

“We’d better stick together all the same.” Mòrag said. “We don’t know what’s in here, and aside from Tora and Poppi we’re all going to find our abilities severely weakened. We need to be careful, and we need to go about this smart.”

“Tora and Poppi will be our front line, then.” Rex said. “Gramps and I will lead the way, but they’ll take point if we run into any trouble.”

“You got it, Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted. “Poppi is Artificial Blade, so request is very extremely not a problem! Technology save the day!” Tora began bouncing in a circle. “Three cheers for Nopon know-how!”

“Where are Poppi’s cheers?” She asked, looking around at the group expectantly.

“Are they always like this?” Aegaeon asked.

“Unfortunately.” Brighid sighed as the group resumed walking.

“Cheer up.” Zeke said, patting Aegaeon on the shoulder. “You’ll get used to it eventually.”

“Thanks…” Aegaeon turned to Roc.

“Don’t look at me.” He said. “I’ve no idea what goes through their heads either. In my experience, Drivers a kinda just… Like this.” He gestured at the rest of the group before taking to the air. The motes were keeping more or less clear of him, but he was bleeding ether like the others.

“That’s reassuring.” Aegaeon frowned.

-

The group continued their descent mostly in silence, attempting to conserve their energy. Eventually, however, the air grew thick with the motes, and the mist was too much to ignore. Pandoria stopped, nearly collapsing to her knees and clutching her hand against her core.

“Are you alright?” Brighid asked.

“Never… Better.” She wheezed, forcing a smile. “I’m… Right as… Rain.”

“The deeper we go, the thicker these particles get.” Mòrag said. “You can still turn back.”

“Your concern is touching, but if Zeke’s going with, then so am I.”

“I don’t know about that either.” Rex said. “Zeke, you’re not looking so good yourself. Is something wrong?”

“What?” Zeke asked, standing up from where he’d been leaning against the wall. “Oh, yeah. I didn’t it was worth mentioning, but…” He pulled the left flap of his shirt to the side, exposing the left side of his chest. The skin was broken, cracks spreading across his pectoral muscles like a spiderweb. In the center was a glowing blue Core Crystal, matching the dent in Pandoria’s own. “I told you about the time I almost bloody died, right?”

-

“My Prince!” Pandoria shouted, her words hitching between sobs. “Zeke! Not like this, not here!” She was hunched over his body in the middle of a forest. “It’s not far now. Just a little further, you can do it!”

“Just… leave me…” He said. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “Go on… without me…”

“No! If you die, I’ll turn back into a core! I don’t want to forget everything!”

“Pandy… I’m sorry…” He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I hope… your next Driver… is better… than me…”

“I don’t want another Driver!” She took his hand in hers. “You- You’re good enough!” He smiled at that. Then his hand went limp. “Prince! ZEKE! No!” She grabbed his arms and pulled his body across her back. With all her might, she began to drag him forward. “I refuse to forget our ten years together! It’s not going to happen, do you hear me? I’m not letting you die here!”

She walked as far as she could, but eventually her legs gave out. She fell to her knees, lacking the strength to keep her body upright. She lay next to her prince, and her consciousness began to fade. As it did, she heard the sound of footsteps.

“No…” She muttered. “I’m not letting you… take my Prince from me…” Despite her best efforts, she faded. The last thing she saw was a blue skinned man in white regalia looking down at her.

-

“Prince!” She shouted, sitting up. She lay on a bed in a marble room. Zeke was lying on the bed next to her. She was aware of a dull pain in her chest, but she pushed that aside as she stood up.

“Don’t push yourself.” The blue man said. “He’s fine, it’s you I’m more concerned about.”

“You… You saved him?”

“You’re alive, aren’t you? Though… Not without cost.” He pointed to her chest. She looked down to see that a piece of her Core Crystal had gone missing.

“What did-”

“I had to remove his lungs. They were too infected to save. So I transplanted a piece of your Core Crystal into his chest as a substitute. It was risky, but it was the only way to save you both.”

“That figures.” Zeke groaned, his eyes fluttering open. “It would explain the pulsing sensation in my chest.”

“Prince!” Pandoria shouted, jumping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You both seem to be doing just fine.” The man smiled. “I’ll leave you some time to process this.” He left the room. Things were silent for a while. Pandoria knelt beside Zeke’s bed, and he stroked her hair idly.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed after a while. “It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t be.” She smiled. “I’m glad, actually. Knowing that a part of me is keeping you alive… I dunno, it’s just nice.”

“I guess this means you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

-

“Indol are capable of something like this?” Rex asked. The group had resumed moving as Zeke told them the story.

“I guess you and I are more alike than you thought, chum.” Zeke chuckled. “Though mine was just a surgical procedure.”

“You make is sound so simple.” Mòrag shook her head. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

“The Praetorium did split off from the Judicium dynasty not long after the invention of Flesh Eaters. It’s no real surprise that they continued the legacy of their forebears. They even kept the same naming convention. According to Amalthus, I’m one of the first ever Blade Eaters.”

“That’s probably why this place is getting to you, too.” Pandoria said.

“It’s all good.” Zeke smiled despite the difficulty he was having breathing. “Let’s just… push on.”

“Or not.” Rex frowned. Up ahead, a large metal wall blocked the passage. The rest of the group went to go check it out, but Nia and Dromarch hung back.

“My lady, are you feeling alright?” Dromarch asked.

“I’m fine.” She replied. “Worry about yourself, yeah?”

“I cannot, in good conscience, ignore your plight.”

“I’ve made it this long…” She sighed. “I’ve gotta admire Shellhead. He just put it right out there. And here I am…”

“Nia?” Rex asked, walking back to her and Dromarch. “Are you alright?”

“I’m not having any harder a time of this than you guys.” She shook her head. “The air’s getting thin for all of us with this mist around. I suppose I’m getting a little dizzy, though.”

“I used to get that all the time salvaging. When it happens, it’s best to just empty your head of all thoughts. It’s an old salvager trick.”

“You mean I have to start acting as daft as you? Tall order.”

“At least you’re still lucid.” Rex laughed.

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted. “We found path!” Rex, Nia, and Dromarch rejoined the others at a hole in the wall near its base. The surrounding stone was cracked, and the tunnel beyond looked as if it had been bored into the rock.

“It’s certainly not a natural formation.” Aegaeon said. “Though I hardly think any of this cavern gets to qualify as natural.”

“Maybe it was grave robbers?” Zeke offered.

“There’s only one thing worth stealing around here.” Gramps frowned. “And this hole, as far as I know, isn’t supposed to be here. Whoever did this was extremely powerful, or extremely dedicated.”

“Jin and Malos.” Rex said. “It had to have been them.”

“If it was, then they only came by after I left to find you. Were they waiting for me to leave?”

“Is it possible they’ve already taken the sword?” Mòrag asked.

“I’ve never been her before.” Nia said. “And I never saw the third sword anywhere around Torna’s base. No mention of it either. So if they did come, it’s likely they never found it.”

“True.” Gramps nodded. “I do not think Addam would let the sword be so easily found.”

“No point in worrying about it.” Rex said. He walked into the hole. “We’ll know soon enough. Like Zeke said, all we can do is press on.”

-

Past the wall, the cavern turned from stone to a dull crystal. Just beneath the smooth surface, a spiderweb lattice of filaments filled the walls. And the mist continued to grow. All the Blades were having trouble managing, as was Zeke. Trailing behind the rest of the group, Nia was barely putting one foot in front of the other.

“Rex.” Mòrag said, stopping. “We’ve come a long way. I think it’s time for a break.”

“We can’t stop now, we-”

“Hold your horses.” Zeke said, nearly collapsing as he sat down. “There’s a long way to go yet.”

“We’re stopping.” Nia said, collapsing into Dromarch’s fur next to him. “Thank goodness.”

“You can rest your head on my lap if you like.” Zeke waggled his eyebrows. Pandoria slapped him on the back of the head.

“Why don’t you rest your head in your arse?” Nia shot back.

“I’m sorry, everyone.” Rex said. “I had no idea.”

“You’ve got a core in your chest too.” Zeke said. “Don’t tell me you’re not feeling the heat.”

“Must be an Aegis thing.” Rex shrugged.

“There’s no need to apologize.” Roc said, dangling from the ceiling. “It’s understandable, given the situation. But we shouldn’t linger too long, lest we risk losing more power. I’ll do my best to keep the air breathable, but it’s getting harder the further we go.”

“Don’t push yourself.” Rex said. “We’ll manage somehow.”

“Could use opportunity to perform maintenance.” Tora said. “Poppi, begin by venting drive chamber.”

“Aye-aye Masterpon!” Poppi shouted. The pair began to work.

“Here.” Rex said, sitting down next to Nia. He held a can with a breathing mask attached out toward her. “Emergency air. It might help.”

“Thanks.” She said, taking the can. She turned it over in her hands a moment. “How do I…?”

“The release nozzle’s on the side of the stem. Place the mask over your mouth and hold your nose. Then puff out your chest and inhale as deep as you can.”

“Another of your salvager tricks?”

“Just do it.” Rex said. Nia did as she was told. After a few deep breaths, she took the can away from her face, breathing easier.

“That really does the trick.”

“When I was starting out, that’s one of the first things Spraine taught me. He tried to put in the work and act like a parent, but I turned him away pretty quickly. I did manage to pick up a couple of things, though.”

“My da was real enough.” Nia said. “But I can’t say he really taught me anything.”

“You had parents?” Zeke asked. “Here I thought you’d grown out of a tree or something.”

“Buzz off. He was the Lord of Echell in Gormott. A real big cheese. He made me study hard, but it was all how to be a proper lady. Which fork to use. Nothing that’s doing me any good now, just useless shite.”

“You were some kinda high society princess?” Rex asked. “I can’t picture it.”

“Shut it you.” Nia let slip half a laugh. “I didn’t mind the studying, really. It was the only time I really got to spend with my big sis. She was very frail, and I wasn’t allowed in to visit her except for lessons. My da brought it doctors from all over to try and help her. It was all he thought about, really. Burned through our entire fortune looking for a cure, with nothing to show for it. The hospital in White Chair was our last chance, but the three of us weren’t holding out much hope by that point. The invasion hit not long after, and… Well, you can probably guess what happened next.”

“Nia…” Mòrag said. She didn’t know what else to say, so she trailed off.

“Sorry for talking your ears off.” Nia shook her head. She took another breath from the can before standing up and tossing it to Zeke. “Thanks for the salvager trick. Sneaky git. If you had this all along why did you hold out on me?”

“I didn’t realize you were having that much trouble.” Rex said.

“Well I’m feeling much better now. Shall we get going?”

“We’ve been lingering long enough.” Roc said. “Anyone who has trouble going forward should probably turn back. It’s only going to get worse from here.”

“I don’t think there’s anyone who’ll take you up on that offer.” Zeke said, standing up. “We’ve all come too far to turn back now, right.”

“Right.” Rex nodded. “We see this through, together.”

-

Eventually, the pathway turned back to stone. Not cavernous rock, but great slabs carved straight out of the Titan’s interior. The path ended in yet another wall, this one made of many interlocking crystal spikes. Unlike the previous one, there was no obvious route through.

“Looks like the only way through is by force.” Aegaeon said.

“If that were possible, then Jin would have surely done it.” Mòrag replied. “That he didn’t tells me this is where they were rebuffed.”

“Can never know until we try!” Tora shouted. “Poppi, incendiary barrage!”

“Affirmative!” Poppi extended her hands.

“Whoa stop stop stop!” Zeke shouted. “You want to bring the whole cave down on top of us?”

“It was joke.” Tora said.

“Poppi have no such weaponry.” Poppi leaned over and made a face at Zeke.

“That wasn’t funny.” He narrowed his eyes at the pair. They continued to bicker as Rex approached the crystals. Suddenly, a light burst forth from his Core Crystal. It touched the crystals, and they began to retract into the wall, shaking the entire cavern. The stone pathway continued through the newly created entrance.

“Does this have to do with your connection to the Aegis?” Mòrag asked, studying the spikes.

“No idea.” He shrugged. “But if it does, all the more reason to think that Jin never made it this far.”

“He’s got Malos with him.” Zeke said. “So we’re not out of the woods yet. But you’re right. There’s still hope.” As the rest of the group continued walking, Nia began to lag behind again, her breathing growing shallow.

-

Nia sat in up in her bed, staring out the window across the skyline of White Chair. A vast expanse of trees atop Gormott’s head, all hollowed out and turned into a wooden metropolis. At the center was a great tree, like the one that sheltered Torigoth. Stark white and rising higher than any other place on the continent. The House of Communion, seat of the Republic’s power. Her father had business there, as a Lord of Gormott, but he told her he’d be back soon.

“Hey!” A voice startled Nia, bringing her back to reality. She turned to see Clíodhna, one of her father’s Blades. One of her few points of contact with the outside world. He let her sit in on Nia’s lessons when he was around to give them.

“How was the trip?” Nia asked.

“It was boring.” Clíodhna threw herself onto Nia’s bed. “The Ministers barely gave us the time of day. The Ardainian Empress arrived yesterday, so they’re busy with negotiations. But the doctor should be coming by soon, and we can finally-”

“Clíodhna.” Nia sighed. “You don’t have to pretend around me. I know my time’s pretty much up already.”

“Don’t say that.” Clíodhna frowned. “Those last guys Maelgwn hired were quacks. White Chair’s doctors are the best in Alrest. They’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

“I admire your optimism.” Nia shook her head. “I just wish I shared it.” She glanced back out the window, and a glare from the House of Communion caught her eyes. She looked away, but it only got brighter. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn’t a glare but a flame, engulfing the great tree. It grew brighter as it burned, spreading to nearby buildings. In a blinding flash, a dozen jets burst forth from it, spearing out into the surrounding city. One headed straight for her.

Clíodhna jumped into action, throwing up a shield of water around herself and Nia. The flame struck the building, rolling over it, but the pair remained unscathed. A moment later, Nia’s father burst into the room, Dromarch at his heel. He shouted something she couldn’t hear through the wall and motioned the pair toward him. Slowly, Clíodhna bent down and removed Nia from her bed. She had to drop her shield to move, however. In that moment, another blast of flame tore through the window, catching the pair in its wake. The last thing Nia heard as she burned was the sound of her father screaming, desperately trying to beat back the flames.

-

Clíodhna ran her ether over Nia’s body as they ran, trying desperately to put her flesh back together. But despite her efforts, the burns were too much for her to handle. Dromarch threw up a shield around them, saving them from another of Brighid’s attacks and buying them time to duck into a nearby alley.

“Maelgwn, she’s fading.” Clíodhna said, looking up from her patient. “We need to get her out of the city, fast.”

“There’s not time!” He said, looking around frantically. “She needs a doctor now!”

“She won’t last another ten minutes at this rate! It’s all I can do to keep it from getting worse!”

“Fuck!” He slammed his ring into the side of a nearby building. “I’m not letting her die here! There has to be a way! Think, damn it… That Ardainian Senator!”

“You can’t be serious.” Clíodhna glanced over her shoulder, making sure Brighid hadn’t noticed them yet. “You’re taking Roderich’s advice? The man’s obsession with Judicium was alarming enough before his country declared war on us.”

“But he was right. Judicium unlocked a Blade’s capacity to store memories. Who is to say that a Flesh Eater doesn’t contain some of the human they were born from?”

“It’s wrong. I won’t do that to her! Not while there’s still a chance!”

“This is our chance!” Maelgwn’s expression was growing increasingly frantic. “You said it yourself, she’ll die before we can get her to any real help.”

“But… It’s wrong.” Clíodhna hung her head. “I’m supposed to save lives, not take them.”

“You will be saving her life.” Maelgwn placed his hand on Nia’s forehead, barely recognizable past the burns. “She will live on as a part of you.”

“I can’t.” She sobbed.

“This is an order, Clíodhna!” Maelgwn took her hand and forced it into Nia’s stomach. It slid through with little resistance. “Eat!”

“I’m sorry.” Clíodhna muttered, her voice small. She did as she was told.

The flesh entered her system and she screamed. She could feel something in her chest twist, threatening to burst. She dropped Nia and stumbled back, clutching at her chest. Red spots manifested on her core as the flesh took hold. She screwed her eyes shut and prayed that memories would come rushing in. That she would be wiped out, and Nia would take her place. But nothing happened. Whatever she’d gained, it wasn’t any part of Nia. Sobbing, she opened her eyes.

“Maelgwn, I-” She started speaking. She stopped when the sword broke through her Driver’s chest. Blood splattered her face as his eyes rolled back. Dromarch disintegrated into a cloud of ether. Beyond him, Emperor Liùsaidh studied Clíodhna with cold eyes.

“You’re not fading.” She frowned. “A cannibal. Of course a savage like this would consort with one. Come, cannibal. I will make the end quick.” She rushed forward and aimed her sword at Clíodhna’s core.

Before she knew what was happening, Clíodhna manifested her sword and lunged forward. She tore the Empress’s arm clean off with a single strike. The woman staggered back, and Clíodhna began expelling waves of water ether. Her hands shook, and she shook the buildings around them in turn. She leveled every building on the block before she regained her focus. When she did, she locked eyes with the Empress and screamed. A primal, hateful scream. The wail of the Banshee Queen.

-

“My lady!” Dromarch shouted, snapping Nia out of her stupor. She had fallen to her knees at the edge of a stone bridge stretching across a seemingly bottomless caver. Across the bridge was a large stone chamber. Rex put an arm around her and dragger her to her feet.

“Are you alright?” He asked. “You don’t look very steady. I feel like if I let go now, you’d go tumbling down into that abyss.”

“You must be sick of saving me by now, eh?” She asked.

“Don’t be silly. The lack of air’s just getting to your head.”

“We’re nearly there.” Brighid said. “You can rest up a little longer.”

“It’s even tougher for you, though.” Nia shook her head, breaking free of Rex’s arm. “I’m telling you, I’m fine.”

“Very well.” Mòrag said. “We’ll press on. Catch up when you are able.” She and Brighid continued walking, as did most of the others. Dromarch and Rex, however, stayed behind. Nia stood still for a moment, stroking Dromarch’s fur.”

“Nia, I-”

“After White Chair fell, it was just me and Dromarch. Sis and da died in the flames.” She said. “Dromarch was all I had left to remember either of them by. That’s when we started wandering. It wasn’t long before we joined up with the resistance. They were basically just marauders with style, like the ones we fought for Rhys. But I didn’t care, so long as I was getting my revenge. Pretty soon, I’d stacked up a sizeable body count. The “Butcher of Gormott”, nightmare come to life for occupation forces. It felt like the world against the two of us. And I’m ashamed to say I enjoyed it. Then one day, a year or two back, I got cocky. And I slipped up. And the Ardainians finally got their hands on me.”

-

Nia sat in the bowels of an Ardainian warship, slumped against the wall. She was holding out hope for a rescue, but she knew in her heart that the resistance wasn’t coming. They’d stopped caring about anyone but themselves a long time ago. Suddenly, her ears perked up. She heard fighting from outside. A sword against steel. The echo of gunfire. It only lasted a moment. Then silence followed. Slowly the door to her cell creaked open. In walked a man with gray armor, silver hair, and sad eyes. He looked down at her and offered a hand.

“Who’re you?” Nia asked.

“A friend.” He smiled. “We’re the same, you and I.” He motioned to a crystal on his head, burning bright crimson.

“What do you want with me?”

“I’m here to save you. And I’m here because I think you can save me. I’m going to Elysium, and I need your help to get there.”

-

“In that cell, I made a promise to myself. I was going to go to Elysium, the place from all my da’s stories, and I was going to change things. When Jin rescued me, it felt like the Architect himself had sent him. He offered me a way out, a way to get everything I had dreamed about. Elysium. A second chance. So I was willing to look past all the bodies he left behind, at first. All the bodies he made me leave behind. It took a long time for me to realize that he was just using me for his own ends.”

“Nia…” Rex put a hand on her shoulder. “None of that matters anymore. Who you were, what you did… You don’t have to be afraid of your past. What you’re feeling and doing right now is what matters.”

“You’re really starting to sound like Vandham, you know that?”

“I think it’s Roc rubbing off on me.” Rex smiled. “Now come on, we’ve got a sword to get. What would Pyra and Mythra think if they saw you all tortured and pensive like this? It doesn’t suit you.”

“Here I am baring my soul, and you go and say an idiotic thing like that.” Nia frowned. “Have you no sense of decency, you idiot?”

“There she is!” Rex laughed. “That’s the Nia I know. I was wondering where you’d been.”

“Stuff it.” Nia said, walking to meet up with the rest of the group. She couldn’t help but betray a smile on her lips as she did. Rex flashed her another smile and ran to catch up with the others. When he was out of earshot, she muttered to herself. “The Nia you know, huh?”

-

The final room on the path was a stone chamber, much like the great hall of the Praetorium. At the far end was a staircase, and atop it an altar. Above the altar hung the crest of Old Torna, carved into the stone wall.

“Rex-Rex, it’s dead end!” Tora shouted. “What we do now?”

“This has to be it.” Rex shook his head. He looked up at the seal. “Unless I’m supposed to go up there and touch that.”

Before he could try, the ether motes began to coalesce around the group. They clumped together, forming vague shapes out of the mist. Dark, cloaked figures, each holding a shadowy approximation of Mythra’s sword. Their eyes glowed red, and they advanced on the group.

“Must be some kind of defense mechanism.” Brighid said. “Put here to protect the sword.”

“A trial by fire.” Rex smirked. He drew the scythes from his back and held them like he’d seen Vandham do. “Alright then. Let them come.”

-

Despite their best efforts, the shadows began to steadily overwhelm the group. For each one they cut down, two more formed from the surroundings. Eventually, the group was pushed into a circle, backs to each other as they kept the swarm at bay.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Zeke said in between swings. He was slicing through them as fast as they came at him, but it didn’t have any impact on their overall numbers. “I’m not sure how much longer we can keep this up.”

“We have to endure.” Brighid said. Her breathing was heavy, and she wasn’t even involved in the fight directly. “Unless we manage to win here, we won’t be able to get the-” She staggered, her core flickering. Instantly Mòrag threw down her swords and grabbed Aegaeon’s katana. Brighid grabbed the sword handles, drawing their residual ether into herself.

“Azurda!” She shouted, throwing up a tangle of ice shards between several of the shadows. “If you’ve got any more advice, now’s the time!”

“Sorry!” Gramps replied. “I’m just as lost here as you are!”

“These things seem to be forming out of the ether motes.” Aegaeon observed. “If we could clear them out, we might stand a chance.”

“Worth a shot.” Roc shrugged. “Rex! I’m going to try clearing the air!”

“Just stick close!” Rex shouted back. “I’m going to need my scythes!”

“Right!” Roc nodded, taking to the air. He flapped his wings, slow and heavy, hovering in place above Rex’s head. Waves of wind ether cascaded around the group, flowing through the swarm and funneling their ether into the cavern outside. The motes that weren’t immediately dispersed in the initial wave coalesced into one mass and swung at Roc, knocking him through the door.

With the last of his scythes’ ether, Rex launched two blades of wind straight through the mass, splitting it into four pieces. A bolt of lightning crackled along Zeke’s blade, and he plunged it into the ground. The lightning shot up each piece of the mass, destabilizing them for a moment. They shuddered, as if to fall apart, but quickly restructured. They coalesced back into a central mass, and parts of it spread out to reform into the humanoid shapes that had attacked the group earlier. As Roc’s wind stopped, ether from outside began leaking in, helping to rebuild the swarm. Several formed around Rex, and he was quickly overwhelmed. Nia and Dromarch ran to his aid but didn’t arrive in time to stop one slicing straight down his back. He fell to the ground, his scythes scattering across the floor.

“No!” Nia screamed. She was about to lose someone else. “No more!”

A light burst from her chest. A sea of ether, flooding into the room. A power she’d swore she’d never use again. It enveloped her, and she dropped her disguise. Her normal outfit changed shape into a long, flowing silver dress, and her hair changed length to match, bound up in two loose ponytails. The speckled Core Crystal of a Flesh Eater glowed on her chest.

“I don’t believe it…” Mòrag said, collapsing to one knee as Nia’s ether wave drove all the shadows back. “The Banshee Queen.”

“In the flesh.” Nia smiled. She walked over to Rex and bent down next to him, placing a hand on his back.

“Nia…” He groaned, his flesh knitting back together. “You’re a… Blade?”

“This is who I am, unburdened by my past. Free. What’s the point in living if I have to hide it?” She stood up and reached her hand out. He grabbed it, and she pulled him to his feet. Just then, the ether shadows began to reform out of the initial wave Nia had hit them with. Rex scrambled for his scythes, and Dromarch ran forward, rings in his mouth. Nia, however, stretched out her hand, and a thin, blue rapier wrapped in flowering vines formed from the ether. A blade of water ether spilled from the handle, curving up around the body to form a scimitar.

A scream tore from Nia’s throat as the shadows began to engage the others. It was the same power she’d unleashed in White Chair. A wall of ether poured out from her, drowning the shadows. She ran at them as they began to converge, attempting to pin her down. She and Dromarch cut through them, carving the swarm to pieces and giving the others some breathing room. Eventually, however, her sword began to flicker.

“Shite…” She muttered, her breathing growing heavier. “There really isn’t much ether here, is there?” She stopped for a moment, lowering her sword to concentrate. In that moment, one of the shadows hit her with a blast. She fell to her knees, and it raised its sword to strike her down. Before she could muster a defense, Rex jumped in front of the attack, blocking it with his inert scythes.

“What are you waiting for?” He grunted, barely keeping the sword at bay. She jumped up and slashed her sword through the shadow’s chest, dispersing it. As she stood to her feet, she tossed her sword to Rex.

“What’s this for?” He asked.

“You need a weapon.” She said. “I can’t keep splitting my attention. This’ll be a lot easier on me if I’ve got a Driver. Think you can manage it?”

“If you’ll have me.” Rex smiled, swinging the sword through the air a few times to get used to its weight. Nia raised her hand, supplying ether as their cores began to resonate. They ran forward as the swarm closed in on them, Rex cutting through them with the scimitar and Nia blocking strikes with ether shields. They weaved like dance partners, trading the sword back and forth when necessary. The others found their second wind and began tearing through the shadows. Lightning, ice, and explosions ripped through the battlefield. Roc shot back through the entrance and scattered large swathes of shadows with the beating of his wings.

“You fight…” A voice echoed inside Rex’s head as he clashed with a shadow.

“Who’s that?” He shouted, glancing around.

“You fight on, relentlessly.” The voice continued. It seemed to emanate from the shadows themselves, though none of the others could hear it. “But what is it you fight for?”

“I’m fighting for myself!” Rex spat. “And my friends! And everyone! But most of all, I’m fighting for Pyra and Mythra!”

“Interesting. I have been waiting for so long for one such as you.” A golden light burst forth from the crest on the far wall, dissolving all the shadows. A cascade of pure light ether. It touched Rex’s Core Crystal, and he began resonating.

-

Rex found himself back on the hill overlooking Elysium. He could still hear the bell, ringing faintly. It was quieter than before. Instead of Pyra standing underneath the tree, however, it was the same figure from her message for the Tantalese King.

“My name is Addam.” He said, back turned to Rex. “I am long departed from this world.”

“So you were the voice…” Rex muttered.

“What is your name, boy?”

“Rex.”

“And do you know where we are?”

“This is Elysium. I’ve been here before, actually. Pyra was standing where you are now. She looked… lonely.”

“Is that so?” Addam crossed his arms. “Thank you for bringing me to this place. Though I tried sometime in the past, I have never been to Elysium before.”

“Neither have I, really. Not yet. This was just Pyra’s memory.”

“Whatever the case, it is a beautiful sight.” Addam turned around. “Rex, what is it that you seek? Wealth? Power? Dominion?”

“Power, to protect.”

“Protect what?”

“That’s…” Rex sighed. “That’s a long list. Gramps, Nia, Tora, Mòrag and Zeke, Iona and Old Man Cole, Garfont Village, everyone in Fonsette… And Pyra and Mythra.”

“You are greedy, boy.”

“Everyone in Argentum used to tell me that.”

“It is not possible to protect everything. There is a limit to the strength of a single man.”

“I know. But if I don’t keep trying, that’s the same as giving up. I can’t let everyone down like that. Not again.”

“You came here seeking power. But I cannot offer you any.”

“What do you mean?”

“The power you seek must come from within yourself. The power to accept her. She is afraid. Of her own power and her terrible destiny. And I, too, was afraid. I feared the true power of the Aegis. I sealed her to seal that power, praying that one day mankind would be capable of wielding it without destroying themselves.”

“The test Pyra mentioned.”

“If you want to think of it as such. Your will to fight comes from your will to protect. I think, perhaps, that you have found what I lacked.” The scenery began to fade around Rex, until only Addam’s face remained. “And if you are capable of taking on the weight of all the fear she carries, then you will be her true Driver. That is the power you seek.”

-

“Rex!” Nia shouted. “Wake up!”

His eyes fluttered open. He stood in the middle of the room they’d been fighting in just before the light arrived. All the shadows were gone, but the ether motes remained. Brighid had recovered somewhat, but still knelt on the ground. Mòrag and Aegaeon were by her side. The rest of the group had gathered around Rex.

“What happened?” Nia asked. “You’ve been standing there with your eyes closed since the ghosts disappeared.”

“I’m fine.” He said. “Never better.” He heard a noise behind him as the entire group focused on the altar. It split open, slowly revealing a sword. It was as clear as glass and shaped like a streamlined version of Mythra’s sword. A green, cross-shaped Core Crystal glowed on its handle.

“The third sword.” Zeke said, nodding sagely as Rex approached it. He reached out and grasped its handle, drawing it out of the altar. As he held it, its core pulsed, resonating with his. Visions flashed through his mind. A large blue sphere suspended against a black void and ringed with a silver cord. Light traveled along the chord, slowly enveloping the sphere. A stone pillar, bearing three holes shaped like the Aegis’s Core Crystal. An old man, staring at him from the shadows.

-

“It’s me.” The man said, his hand pressed against the cold steel of the door. “I know you can hear me.”

“You’re late.” The woman said from the other side. “What do you want?”

“I’m here to work, obviously.”

“If you really wanted to, you’d have been here an hour ago.”

“Of course I don’t want to. Station-wide lockdown is the only reason I’m not planet side right now, since I’m technically no longer station staff. But you were right. It’s time I stop feeling sorry for myself.”

“If you want to make yourself useful, I’m sure the command center could use another warm body.”

“That’s not…” He sighed. “Listen, Galea, we both know that with how the battle’s going outside, initialization’s inevitable. It won’t go smoothly with just one pair of eyes on watch. You know none of the others are up to it. You need me in there.”

“How do I guarantee you won’t do something stupid again?”

“Because I need me in there too. I need face this if I ever want out of this… this hell.”

“The Zohar didn’t do this to you, you did this to yourself.”

“Please…” He whispered. “Just… Give me one more chance.” He pressed his forehead against the door. He nearly fell through it when it slid open. He stumbled to his feet to see her standing over him, arms crossed.

“One chance.” She said. “Now get to your post. Ontos will catch you up on the latest procedures.”

“Thank you.” He muttered. He ran past the other members of the science staff and arrived at his station overlooking the orbital ring. His fingers rushed over the keys, following the procedures as Ontos laid them out while simultaneously preparing for his real goal. He smiled and looked out the window in front of him at the void beyond. If everything went according to plan, it would be the last time he would ever have to see it again.

-

The sword dissolved in Rex’s hands as the visions faded, returning to the ether that had initially formed it. The others all reeled in shock, but Rex just watched it happen.

“The Aegis sword!” Dromarch shouted.

“Why sword break?” Tora asked.

“Perhaps it was just down here too long.” Aegaeon said.

“You’re bloody kidding me, right?” Zeke shouted. “After we trudged all the way down here?”

“It’s OK.” Rex smiled, returning from the altar.

“How can it be OK?” Nia asked. “Pyra’s one true sword just broke!”

“It’s not about the sword. It never was. I know what I’ve got to do. Now come on, we’ve got rescuing to do.”

“Rex-” Nia sighed.

“You trust me enough to be your Driver. You can’t trust me on this?”

“Yeah, but…” Nia looked around the group for support.

“You’ve realized something.” Mòrag said. “Haven’t you? Something the rest of us can’t see.”

“Where’s this coming from?” Zeke asked.

“The look in his eyes. It’s one I’ve not seen before.” She stood up and gave Rex a salute. “I’m with you all the way.”

“If Mòrag insists.” Zeke sighed. “But you’ve better got some plan up your sleeve, do you hear me?”

“I must admit, his determination inspires confidence.” Dromarch said.

“You’ve all lost it, eh?” Nia asked. Tora nodded vigorously; his eyes practically gleamed. The others had similar expressions. “Well, whatever. If you’ve got a plan, we might as well see it through.”

-

“Would never have guessed Nia was Blade too!” Tora shouted as the group made their way back out of the Spirit Crucible. Brighid was leaning on Mòrag for support, and Roc didn’t have the strength left to fly, but the further away from the center they got, the more relaxed the Blades became.

“I’d pretty much figured it out during out second fight.” Zeke smirked. “I’ve been waiting for you to drop the news for quite a while now.”

“He thought you were a Blade Eater.” Pandoria said, walking between Zeke and Nia. “He wouldn’t shut up about it for a week.”

“Wait, she’s not?” He asked.

“Other way around.” Nia said, tapping her Core Crystal. Zeke ran in front of her and stopped, leaning in close to examine it.

“Damn it all!” He shouted, holding back tears. “How could you betray me like this? And here I thought I’d finally found another person like me!”

“There is no one like you.” Brighid said.

“Why did you never tell us?” Mòrag asked.

“You know I killed your mother, right?” Nia said. “During the attack on White Chair.”

“Adopted mother, technically.” Mòrag shrugged. “And it was war. A war she started. She knew the risks.”

“You’re all taking this rather well.” Nia frowned.

“It makes a weird amount of sense.” Rex said. “Torna wouldn’t have recruited you if you didn’t have some kind of…” He trailed off.

“Deep Blade connection?” Zeke offered.

“Sort of, yeah.”

“The same applies to all of us, too.” Zeke said. “Well, except maybe Mòrag.”

“Oh yes.” She said. “Single me out, why don’t you?”

“It’s true. What, are you jealous?”

“Not in the slightest. Your connections are proof of the hardships you have endured. It would be unbecoming to covet another person’s pain.”

“Probably for the best.” Aegaeon said. “I’m not comfortable with the idea of losing a part of my core.”

“It’s not so bad.” Pandoria said. “It didn’t even really hurt.”

“That’s not the issue. Our Core Crystals are who we are. They are our lives. You cared enough for your prince to sacrifice a part of yourself for him, but… I apologize, Lady Mòrag, but I could not do the same.”

“Perhaps not for me.” She said. “But you would have, for His Majesty’s sake.”

“If you say.” Aegaeon shrugged, returning to his place at the head of the group. They walked in silence for several minutes, after that.

“Where do we go now?” Nia asked. “What’s the plan, Rex?”

“We go confront Jin and Malos.” He said.

“You know their location?” Gramps asked.

“I think so.” He closed his eyes, and images flashed through his mind. “I can see it. Near the World Tree, there’s a rotting Titan. Pyra’s there, and I’m willing to bet Torna are with her.”

“A rotting Titan…” Mòrag muttered. “I wonder…”

“Mòrag know such a place?” Tora asked.

“Not exactly, but… I’ve heard stories. That against the side of the Great Void there rests a Titan known as the Cliffs of Morytha.”

“The land of the dead.” Dromarch said. “Supposedly those cliffs lead into its depths.”

“Land of the dead?” Zeke asked. “Sounds a bit fantastical, even for my tastes.”

“It’s an old salvager legend.” Rex said. “The Land of Morytha, the ultimate salvage sitting beneath the bottom of the Cloud Sea. Supposedly no one’s ever been to it and lived to tell the tale. I didn’t think it existed.”

“The cliffs are real enough, at least.” Gramps said. “The Titan was called Coeia, when it lived. I witnessed Malos drive it into the side of the World Tree and destroy it during the first days of the Aegis War.”

“Well then. We have our destination.”

-

Mikhail stood in the Core Crystal chamber, working away at a panel in the side of the wall. He was tinkering with wiring and tracking the changes in the systems diagnostics. Jin had headed out some time ago, and Malos had gone to join him after he woke up, leaving Mikhail alone with the twins. Malos had even taken Mythra’s body with him.

“Not Mythra.” Mikhail berated himself. “That bitch ran away. She’s calling herself Pyra now.”

“Mik, you’re still in here?” Patroka asked, walking into the room. “And you’re mumbling to yourself too. Is it passion or idiocy?”

“I can be very passionate.” He replied, not looking up from his work. “Would you like to find out how? All you’d have to do is ask-”

“Piss off and die.” She spat.

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll get around to it one of these days. But it’ll have to wait until the modifications to the Marsanes are complete.”

“How much longer is this going to take?”

“This is the last Tornan warship, Patroka. It’s a delicate operation that requires extreme precision. Now did you need something, or are you just here to do some window shopping?”

“Hardly. We’re expecting the signal from Jin and Malos any time now. Is the Marsanes ready to start the climb?”

“You came all the way down here just to ask me that? You’ve got quite the crush.”

“One more remark and I crush your-”

“Point taken.” He threw up his hands in mock defeat. “Technically, she’s been ready to go since yesterday. But I’m still working on getting the emergency ejection system operational.”

“The what?”

“If we go down, we should at least be able to save the Blades we roped into this mess. Don’t you think?”

“You’d be better off spending your time making sure the cannons won’t break down on us this time.”

“This’ll get done faster if you stop bothering me.”

“Whatever.” Patroka rolled her eyes and headed for the exit. “I’ll tell Akhos we’re good to go. If anything breaks, you can explain it to Jin yourself.”

“She’s a fiery one.” Mikhail laughed. “Don’t you think so, Lora?” He looked over his shoulder at where Jin had mounted the ice containing Lora’s body. “Don’t worry. I promised to keep you safe, didn’t I?”

-

_Jin stood in the ruins of the house, looking over the contents of the dresser. After all the decades, that it was still standing marveled him. But what he found… Photos. Trinkets. Her diary. He was at the center of all of it. And yet… He could not remember her face. Not a single thing about this life he’d supposedly lived._

_“How terribly desolate.” Lora said, snapping Jin out of his haze. He shut the book and hid it behind his back as he turned. “I heard it’s been ninety years, but… What is it?” She took a step closer and examined his face. “Did you remember something?”_

“No.” Jin sighed. He opened his eyes and tried to bury the memory. He sat on the edge of a ruin overlooking the Great Void. The corpse of the great Titan, the Cliffs of Morytha, loomed behind him. He wasn’t there when Malos initially sunk it, but he had heard the stories. He thought the ruins of where this all began would make a good place to finally put everything to rest.

“It’s done.” Malos said, walking up behind him. His Core Crystal was fully restored. “Once the Marsanes arrives, everything will be complete.”

“And the Aegis?” Jin asked, standing up.

“Oh that?” Malos looked over his shoulder at Pyra’s body, hanging between a pair of Blade Bots. “It’s not an Aegis anymore. Just a lump of meat.”

“I see.” Jin frowned. “We shouldn’t delay.”

“Precisely what I was thinking.” Malos smirked. He took a step forward and materialized the Omega Fetter from his Core Crystal. An ability he hadn’t possessed before. A pulse of light radiated out from it, and a cry came up from the Great Void. Ophion’s body shot up from its depths, and its head hovered level with the ruins. A humanoid torso with arms and shoulder mounted cannons unfolded from the top. It studied the pair with a single, glowing red eye. After a moment, the cannons spun up and fired a barrage of energy at them.

The explosion shook the ruins, but the pair was unfazed. Malos raised a hand and created a wave of dark ether that blocked the explosion. Jin simply outran it.

“Clever girl.” Malos muttered. He shouted to Jin. “It has its own attack instinct, capable of autonomous action! That’s why she came quietly!”

“Will this be a problem?”

“No. All it needs is a little reprogramming.” Malos launched himself into the air and slammed a fist into Ophion’s snout. Dark ether coursed from his hand through Ophion’s circuits. He drove it into the side of the world tree before launching himself back onto the ruins. It let out another cry and retreated back into the Great Void.

“Is it settled?”

“It shouldn’t give us any trouble, at least for now.”

“Good.” Jin nodded. He saw something move out of the corner of his eye. An Ardainian Titan ship, pulling up to dock at the edge of the Cliffs. “In the meantime, we’re going to have some company.”

“Good.” Malos smiled. “Finally, a chance to stretch my legs.”

-

Malos waited at the edge of the ruins for Rex to arrive. He regenerated his old sword in the meantime. It was black, with a long, curved blade. In between the blade and the handle sat a disk of glass, inside of which was suspended a copy of Malos’s core. The glass had multiple layers, each seemingly capable of projecting a different image out from the disk. That functionality was new, but Malos wasn’t sure where it had come from. Somewhere in the data he’d stolen from Pyra and Mythra, he was pretty sure, but he couldn’t track its origin before his targets arrived.

“You’re finally here.” He smirked. “I’ve been expecting you.” He looked over the group. Rex had added the Urayan mercenary’s Blade to his entourage to make up for losing his Blade, but the real surprise was Nia.

“Malos.” She growled. The ether currents began to change around her as her core glowed.

“So you finally gave up your little human act.” Malos strode forward. “Are you looking for a place to belong, or are you just a fickle child who doesn’t know what she wants?”

Nia didn’t bother with a reply.

“Where’s Pyra?” Rex asked.

“Hell if I know.” Malos shrugged. “She’s probably dead by now.”

“I’m alive.” Rex stabbed at his Core Crystal with his thumb. “She’s alive.”

“Think whatever you like. But don’t be mad at me. All I’m doing is reclaiming what was stolen from me. You’re never going to see her again.” Malos let out a small laugh as Rex glared at him. “You make me laugh, you know that? Look at you, still the same salvager brat I picked up in Argentum. And standing here with the gall to challenge me?”

“Someone’s got to.” He drew one of his scythes, and Nia tossed him her sword.

“You did well to make it this far.” Malos raised his sword at Rex. “But you end here, boy!” His core glowed and resonated with his weapon. A symbol lit up on the glass, and the curved metal around the handle extended. Ether coursed through it. Channeled through it. The dark substance seeped into the ground around Rex’s feet, pulling in everything around it. The group scattered, Poppi taking Tora into the air, as the substance detonated, eating through the floor of the ruins and the rock below. The explosion nearly knocked them all off their feet.

Everyone except for Zeke. He was ready to charge forward the instant he landed, sword slung off his back. Two blasts of lightning flew at Malos as Zeke swung his sword, but the Dark Aegis’s ether shield deflected them both. As Zeke’s sword struck Malos, it passed through a field of dark ether that immediately began eating it to the hilt. He jumped back an instant before it ate into him too.

“Watch it, Shellhead!” Nia shouted. “Malos’s power will destroy anything it touches! It’ll take your arm or your head right off!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Zeke groaned.

“Poor, helpless little maggots!” Malos laughed. The field of ether around him began to expand, tearing up the ground. Zeke jumped back, but it was faster. Right before it devoured him, a ball of water ether caught him in the air and dissolved Malos’s darkness. It began reconstructing his sword as well.

“You brat!” Malos shouted, locking eyes with Nia. She held her arms out, concentrating on a smaller ball of water ether in her hands.

“I should have used this power earlier.” She said. “But I was afraid. Afraid to go back to those days…” She bowed her head slightly. “Lives have been lost because I was afraid.” She raised her head and returned Malos’s glare. “But someone taught me that I don’t have to be afraid!” She clenched her hands into fists, and the water ether scattered over Malos’s shield, dispersing it. “Your power might destroy, Malos, but my power restores! There is no wound you can inflict that I cannot heal!”

“I’ll tear you limb from limb!” Malos howled. “We’ll see how well your power works then!” He jumped into the air and reared his fist back. Instantly Roc shot him out of the sky with a blast of wind. He flew straight back at Zeke, who already had his sword wound up and ready. He grabbed the sword’s blade and attempted to claw at Zeke’s good eye. Zeke fired the blade out from the handle and knocked Malos into the far wall. A wall of flame washed over him from Mòrag’s swords, but he brushed it off.

He lunged straight for Nia, but Rex got in the way. He knocked Malos’s sword down with Nia’s and swung up at Malos’s jaw with his scythe. He caught it with his free hand and began to dissolve it. Poppi dropped from the sky and struck the top of his head, driving him into the scythe. Rex swung his sword at Malos’s core in the same instant.

Another symbol flickered on his sword, and he jumped, throwing Poppi back and sailing over Rex with blinding speed. He aimed the tip of his sword straight for Mòrag’s chest. She raised her swords and caught his, slamming it into the ground. The symbol on the sword changed again, and bands of ether shot out from the sword, binding around her weapons’ cores. They went dark. Instantly she jumped back as he tore his sword from the ground and turned it on Nia.

Another symbol change, and a wave of ether erupted at Nia’s feet, forcing her to break concentration briefly. The ether around him subsided, and his field returned. Instantly he rushed Rex but was struck in the side by one of Dromarch’s roars. He tumbled to the side and Mòrag swung at his head, despite her weapons still being sealed. He grabbed her neck, but Nia’s ether field returned just in time to prevent him from dissolving her. Instead, she jumped and struck Malos across the face with the heel of her boot. He stumbled back, straight into a Biter fired from Tora’s shield. It struck his leg and he collapsed. Rex swung his sword at his neck. The symbol on the sword changed, and an ether shield appeared around him, deflecting the strike.

Instantly, the symbol changed again. The shield dropped and a long blade of black ether extended from his sword. He swung it in a circle, striking at everyone on the battlefield. Ether shields went up, but he broke through many of them, knocking everyone but Rex and Nia back. Her ether unwrapped from him and flowed over everyone else, ensuring the strike didn’t leave any permanent damage. He swung at her head, and Rex tossed her the sword, drawing his second scythe. She blocked the strike inches from her own face. Their ambient ether fields collided, preventing him from damaging any of the others.

“That’s an annoying power!” He screamed.

“So sorry!” Nia smirked. “But you’ve gotta be stopped. You’re a menace to the entire world!” She pressed her field forward, trapping him.

“Is that so? Oh, you sweet talker!” He grinned. The symbol on his sword changed, and a black mass of ether shot out from the blade. It tried to engulf Nia, but she jumped out of its reach.

“Don’t you see how weak you are?” Malos asked. “Heal all you want, but you can’t even scratch me! Where are your claws, kitty?”

“You asked for it!” She shouted back. She raised her sword skyward, and ether began gathering around the blade. She tossed it into the air and Rex jumped, catching it before landing and running straight for Malos. The Dark Aegis roared and struck the ground, sending out a large cascade of dark ether. Rex jumped over it and swung his sword, sending a blade of ether flying toward Malos. In that same instant, Nia fired a blast of ether from her hands. Malos struck both attacks out of the air. Instead of dissipating, however, the ether began circling Malos in small beads, slowly drawing into his body.

“What? Is that it?” He smirked, walking forward as his body absorbed the ether. “I hardly even felt it. Now where were-” He stumbled, falling to his knees. His skin began to ripple, ether travelling up and down it. Pressure began to build in his chest.

“You like that?” Nia smirked. “Turns out even an immortal Aegis is made of the same stuff as any other being. My power can repair bodies, so what do you think it does to healthy ones? If it keeps trying to grow new flesh, despite there being no wounds?”

“So this is why Jin recruited you.” He spat. The pressure continued to mount. “He wanted that power for himself.”

“Who knows?” Nia shrugged. “Why don’t you go ask him yourself?”

“I’ll make sure to give him your regards.”

“No need. I don’t need him anymore. The place where I belong is right here.”

“You bitch!” Malos screamed. He tried to lunge at her, but the ether gathering in his chest reached a critical point. It burst forth, erupting in an explosion that blew out most of his chest cavity and sent him flying through the wall. He was flung out over the Great Void and struck the side of the platform he’d summoned Ophion from.

“See ya.” Nia let out half a laugh, lingering for a moment to watch Malos’s body writhe as the others ran on ahead.

-

“Pyra!” Rex shouted, running up the ramp to the platform. He could see Jin standing in front of a pair of Blade Bots. The man moved aside, revealing Pyra’s body hanging between them.

“You missed the highlight.” Jin said, barely looking in his direction. “We already have everything we need from her.”

“Jin! What did you do to her?”

“I… Already… Told you…” Malos wheezed, dragging himself over the side of the platform. His chest was already mostly regrown. The explosion hadn’t managed to damage his core. “I’m just trying to get back what was stolen from me.”

“You’re alive.” Nia frowned. “Of course a roach like you managed to live through that.”

“You didn’t think you could put me down that easily, did you?” He smirked. “I am an Aegis! And my powers have only just been returned to me. You’re just lucky I’m not back up to full strength yet.”

“You did this to her?” Rex shouted.

“She betrayed herself as an Aegis, forming a bond with a piece of human trash.” He walked up to her body. “She put up a brave little fight. She tried so pathetically hard to hold out hope. To hold onto her memories of you. But in the end, it didn’t matter in the slightest. Sorry, boy, but you came to this desolate place for nothing. Do you really want this useless husk?” He grabbed Pyra’s body and ripped her from the Blade Bots. “Go ahead and take it!” He tossed her at Rex.

“Pyra!” Rex shouted, tossing his scythes down and catching her body as it tumbled. Despite all that, she didn’t open her eyes. “I’m so sorry… Pyra… Mythra… We made it this far, but…” He hugged her close, barely holding back tears. He stayed like that for a moment before laying her down. He stood up and grabbed his scythes. “Dromarch, take care of Pyra for me.”

“Understood.” Dromarch nodded as Rex began advancing on Malos. Nia and the others followed him, weapons already drawn.

“What’s this?” Malos asked. “I thought you’d start bawling and charge at me again. What a big boy you’ve become.”

“Stupid.” Rex muttered.

“Come again?”

“I was stupid. I didn’t understand Pyra and Mythra’s feelings. I stood in the shadow of the Aegis’s light, blindly walking my own path while she walked alone. I didn’t understand at all what it meant to be Driver and Blade.”

“What are you blathering about?”

“I’ve made a decision.”

“This ought to be good.” Malos laughed. “What have you decided? You’ve come all this way, I’ll hear you out.”

“I’m going to understand them.” Rex said, looking past Malos and at Jin. “I’m going to understand why we’re here. What it means to be Driver and Blade. And I’m going to keep my promise. I’ll take them to Elysium, even if I have to crush you to do it.”

“Crush us? Me and Jin? You couldn’t take Jin on your own! And now that I’ve regained my Aegis powers and control of the Artifices? You’re doomed, boy!”

“You think you’re all powerful.” Rex said, continuing to stare at Jin. “But you’re wrong.”

“That thing is just a used-up shell.” Malos pointed his sword at Pyra’s body. “You can’t rely on it to save you, boy.”

“Who said anything about relying on her?” Mòrag said, drawing Malos’s attention. Jin glanced over his shoulder and noticed that the Ardainian Titan ship had disappeared. He put the thought out of his mind as he began spreading his ice across the platform. He raised his sword and rushed forward, intending to end things with a single-

Rex’s scythe collided with his face and sent him flying. The impact startled Malos, who had just raised his sword to fire ether at Nia. Rex sent a blast of wind ether at them as Jin got to his feet. He dodged it with ease, his speed returning, but as he tried to approach Rex, he found himself slowing down again. That’s when he noticed the ice around Rex wasn’t his own. It was far, far colder. He looked up as the Titan ship passed overhead, dropping a single Blade onto the battlefield.

“Sorry I’m late” Aegaeon said. “Gathering up the ether took longer than I expected.”

“At least we’ve got an even fight on our hands now.” Mòrag said, tossing one of her swords to Brighid and drawing Aegaeon’s katana.

“Hardly!” Malos roared. “You think you’re a match for us? Don’t make me laugh!” He jumped straight at Nia. She drew her twin rings and blocked the strike, just barely managing to get her ether field up. It was significantly slower to act in the mixture of Jin’s and Aegaeon’s ice.

“I see.” Jin muttered. He ventured another step into Aegaeon’s ice field. He could still move faster than his opponents, but no matter how much he slowed time he couldn’t increase his speed. “You’ve made it so cold that time has begun to lose meaning? Is that it?”

“That would be telling.” Aegaeon smirked.

“Very well.” Jin frowned. “Let’s see how long you can keep it up.” He rushed forward and swung at Rex. Despite his lack of foresight, Rex managed to block the strike with Nia’s sword and swing at Jin’s side with his scythe. Jin jumped, just managing to clear Aegaeon’s field. Instantly he shot forward at Rex again, their swords sliding against each other. He sliced Rex’s arm open, and in return Roc hit him with a blast of wind. It barely moved him. Poppi, Roc, and Rex all closed in on him, but he still managed to parry or avoid all their attacks.

Malos, meanwhile, continued to bear down on Nia. He lashed out at her, driving her back into a corner. Dromarch fired blasts of water from where he stood over Pyra’s body, but Malos paid them no mind. As the ice slowed Nia’s field down, he managed to break her guard. He swung down to split her head open, but Mòrag managed to jump in the way. She bent over Nia, blocking the strike with her swords crossed over her shoulders. In the same moment, Zeke jumped at Malos. The Dark Aegis blocked the strike with a sphere of dark ether. His sword took on the speed symbol, and he quickly switched targets to Rex. As he entered Aegaeon’s field, however, he didn’t have nearly as much resistance to it as Jin. He ground to a halt, and Brighid managed to plant her sword directly in his side.

As Mòrag swung Aegaeon’s katana at him, he sent out a wave of dark ether. It knocked her back and tripped up Aegaeon for a moment. In that instant he hit Brighid with a blast, knocking her to the ground. Dromarch rushed forward and attempted to clamp his jaws around Malos’s neck, but Malos caught the strike with his sword and slammed him into the ground. Poppi broke from engaging Jin and swung a gauntlet at his head. He caught it, the ammunition detonating in the barrel. The explosion nearly knocked him over, but he maintained his grip. He dug his fingers into Poppi’s metal and pulled, tearing her arm free of its socket.

She screamed and fell to the ground. Malos pulled his sword back to finish her off, but a blast of water struck him from behind. A literal tidal wave of ether flowed out of Nia’s body and crashed into him. It engulfed him, and she dragged him over to the side of the platform. Suddenly his symbol shifted again, and she became unable to move. Chains of ether wrapped themselves around her. Slowly, he pulled himself free from her prison. Before he could free his arms, Zeke’s sword struck him in the forehead.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Zeke spat. The skin around his eyepatch began to flare with light. “Pandoria, I think it’s time we-” A shard of ice struck him in the back, knocking him to the ground. A residual blast from Jin and Roc hitting each other with ether fields. Pandoria dragged him to his feet, but by then Malos was already free and advancing on the imprisoned Nia. She struck out with blasts of ether, but he knocked them aside. Just after them, however, he was hit with several explosives from Tora’s shield. He locked eyes with Malos, screaming with fury as he stood between the Dark Aegis and Poppi. He ran, shield in one hand and Poppis’ remaining gauntlet in the other.

He extended the drill and aimed it square at Malos’s core. The Dark Aegis met the attack with his sword, intending to dissolve the weapon. Nia’s shield of water ether enveloped it before he could, and Tora pushed forward. Malos swung his sword to the side, trying to deflect Tora’s drill, and instantly Tora swung his gauntlet. He struck Malos’s kneecap and fired. The crack of bone breaking resonated across the battlefield. Malos’s leg folded backward, and Tora’s wing was nearly blown off. He didn’t seem to care about his own safety as much as getting revenge for Poppi.

Malos struck out with his good leg, kicking Tora back for a moment. He swung his sword, carving a thin purple line in the ground. That line expanded into two rays that shot out. One at Tora, the other at Nia. They expanded as they traveled, eating up the ground behind them. With the last of her strength, Poppi shot forward and dragged Tora out of harm’s way. The two of them came to a halt at the edge of the platform. Nia’s chains finally broke, and she jumped, rings aimed to take Malos’s eyes. He struck her back to the ground with a swing of his sword. She landed hard, collapsing onto one knee as Malos stood, her rings barely keeping the sword off her head.

Spears of blue flame erupted from Mòrag, striking Malos’s chest. In the center of a pair were her whips. They impaled Malos at the edge of where Nia had detonated his chest earlier and began to glow even hotter. His armor began to melt. He grabbed her whips and pulled himself forward. He jumped, aiming straight for Mòrag. Zeke’s sword caught him across the chest before he could land his blow.

Pandoria held the handle aloft and summoned a mass of lightning. It cascaded around Malos as Zeke recalled the blade. It caught Malos in the face in the same instant the lightning struck him. He smirked. He wrapped one arm around Mòrag’s whips and pulled, ripping them from her hands. He swung them around into Pandoria, knocking her to the ground. As the lightning subsided, he rushed at Zeke. The man recalled his sword’s handle and swung his weapon to meet Malos’s strike. The two traded blows, Nia’s ether managing to keep Zeke’s sword from crumbling. Malos formed a blade of pure dark ether in his off hand just in time to block a strike from Mòrag wielding Aegaeon’s katana. The three of them continued like that, Malos trading blows with both Drivers simultaneously.

Rex heard the fight progressing behind him, but he didn’t dare look over his shoulder at it. He needed all his concentration on Jin, now that Aegaeon was the only ally he had left fighting the man with him. Roc had gone down in a large ice barrage and hadn’t yet gotten back on his feet. He could hear the impact of lightning against darkness as Zeke went down, and the roar the man let out as he struggled back to his feet.

Rex and Jin moved around each other, neither able to land a blow on the other. Rex was only able to read so much into his movements, however, and Jin’s speed was slowly but steadily returning as Aegaeon’s ether exhausted itself. The moment Jin turned his back, Roc shot up from where he landed and drove a scythe into it. Rex parried a strike from Jin and swung the other scythe at his stomach. Jin fired a blast of ice from his free hand, throwing himself to the side. He recovered before Rex could and sliced at his stomach. The wound didn’t even have a chance to open before Nia’s power closed it up.

“Have I mentioned how irritating that power is?” Malos shouted from across the battlefield. Despite the continued assault from three Drivers, now that Nia was back on her feet, he still had time to notice what Jin and Rex were doing.

“This ends now.” Jin said, continuing to drive Rex back with near misses.

“Not like this!” Rex spat back. He practically stood over Pyra’s body. “I won’t let it end here!”

“Enough!” Pyra’s voice echoed inside his head. Rex tried to push it to the side and continue fighting, but she didn’t stop. “Give up, Rex! Forget about us!”

“Rex…” Mythra’s voice joined her. “Please listen to what we have to say. Our power has done nothing but bring you pain. It would be better if such a power didn’t exist.”

“We told you we wanted to go to Elysium…” Pyra sighed. “But the reason why we wanted to go there was to beg our father to let us die.”

“So forget us, Rex! For the sake of the world, abandon us!”

“Abandon you?” Rex asked, daring to venture a reply while defending against Jin’s attacks. “When you are injured, I feel your pain. When you feel pain, I feel the sorrow in your heart!”

“What the hell?” Malos asked, jumping just out of reach of Mòrag’s latest strike. “Has he finally cracked?”

“You really think I can just stand by like this?” Rex continued. “Watch someone I love suffer?”

“You can make it to Elysium!” Pyra cried. “You can make it… With or without us!”

“What would be the point of that? I swore to you we’d go to Elysium together. If you’re not with us, then there’s not any point in going at all. I’m doing all of this for you.” With one well-placed strike, he drove Jin back. “We’ll go there together! We’ll find your place in this world together! So believe me, I won’t let the world burn a second time!” He looked back at her body as Jin prepared to strike. Enough of his speed had returned that Rex could no longer match him. He shot forward, sword ready to pierce his chest, just as Rex shouted. “Pyra! Mythra! Join me!”

-

In in instant, Rex found himself hovering high above Alrest. Below him, he could see the Titans burning. Mor Ardain. Gormott. Leftheria. Genbu. In the sky in front of him was a great colossus of metal and glass. It was a mixture of green and purple, the two colors snaking their way across its body with no rhyme or reason. Even the energy that flowed around it seemed dual toned. Floating on either side of it was Pyra and Mythra.

“This is our whole being.” Pyra explained. “The power we were granted at birth.” She glanced down at the Titans below.

“So, Rex…” Mythra said. “Are you still sure you want this?”

“Tell me.” He said. “Do you love this world?”

“Yes.” Pyra nodded. “Nia, Azurda… And you, Rex… I love this world because you’re in it.”

“Well then.” Rex held out his hands, one toward each of them. They exchanged a brief glance and a smile before taking his hands in theirs.

-

The core of Pyra and Mythra’s sword blocked Jin’s strike just before it could cut Rex down. It hung in the air, having materialized out of the ambient ether, and pulsed with a soft glow.

“What?” He shouted, taking a step back. “How?”

Rex reached his hand out, and a handle formed around the core. The rest of the third Aegis sword followed suit. The blade as clear as diamond, its edges shining with a brilliant blue-green light.

“That sword!” Malos spat, knocking Nia and Tora aside with a single strike. He scowled as Pyra’s body lifted into the air. Her hair turned from a short red to a long, flowing green bound up in a ponytail. Her armor changed shape, a white and black bodysuit extending across her arms and legs. White plates flared out from her shoulders and legs, and everything was accented by lines of green crystal. A pair of mechanical wings formed at her sides and folded up, hovering just behind her back. As she landed on her feet, she opened her eyes. Green, like her Core Crystal.

“Apologies, Rex.” She said. She didn’t speak like either Pyra or Mythra, but she had the same voice. “But worry not. I am lost… no longer.” She reached out and touched Rex’s arm. The ether in the air began to change his diving suit into armor, stylized after her own new form.

“What’s this?” He asked.

“That’s better, don’t you think?” She smiled at him.

“Don’t look down on me!” Jin spat. He ran forward, slowing time and reaching nearly unimaginable speed. Nearly as fast as he was at Genbu’s Crown. He swung at Rex, and Rex blocked the strike with the same speed. Ether erupted from Rex’s sword and knocked Jin back. Instantly he followed up with another swing, and the pair began to dance around each other again. This time, however, they moved faster than the others could track, knocking each other around the battlefield.

“How are you matching my speed?!” Jin shouted. He jumped back and tried to free himself from Aegaeon’s ice field, only to realize it had already dissipated. Nevertheless, Rex caught up with him and knocked him skyward. The pair continued to clash in the air, driving each other into the side of the Cliffs of Morytha above.

“I don’t get it.” Rex shrugged. “But I’m not complaining!” With a single strike, he and Pyra knocked Jin into the ground again. The pair hovered above him, held aloft by the devices at Pyra’s back. Jin collapsed to his knees amidst the rubble, panting hard. He tried to stand but couldn’t find the strength.

“You want some more?” Rex asked as he landed. He leveled his sword at Jin. Suddenly, however, he met Jin’s eyes. For a moment, he faltered.

“Rex?” Pyra asked.

“I don’t know… He just looks so-”

“Weak.” Jin spat, standing back to his feet. “End me now or you’ll live to regret it.”

“I don’t want to fight you.” Rex said. “I just want to get to Elysium. I won’t let you stop me, but I don’t have to kill you to do that.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Malos smirked. “You and anything that stands in the way will be wiped out.” The fighting had stopped in the wake of Pyra and Mythra’s awakening, and he’d walked to the edge of the platform.

“Stands in the way of what? What could be worth all of this?”

“Our only purpose.” Jin growled. “Destroy humanity. Destroy the world. Then…”

“Destroy the Architect!” Malos howled.

“That’s really all? That’s what you want?”

“I am an Aegis! Created by the Architect to erase existence! The ultimate weapon! My only purpose is to destroy! And that’s why I’m going to Elysium! I’m sure they told you about it.”

“Aion.” Pyra said. “The ultimate Artifice. Is that right?”

“Right as rain.”

“You can’t be serious.” Rex said.

“I’m nothing but serious, boy! This is the sacred duty entrusted to the Aegises by the Architect!”

“You’re wrong!” Pyra shouted. “Father doesn’t want that!”

“Tell me then.” Malos grinned, his eyes going wide. “Why did he make something like this?” In that moment, Ophion shot out of the Great Void behind him. Its humanoid head uncoiled, and its serpentine mouth began charging a large cannon.

“It ends here!” Malos shouted. Before Ophion could fire, however, a beam of golden light struck its head. It began flailing, and a white figure descended from above. Siren. Malos screamed, and Ophion fired a beam of purple light at it. Siren blocked the attack with a golden shield of light before crashing into Ophion. Twin swords at its sides unfolded and it raced down Ophion’s body, rippling explosions behind it wherever it cut. Ophion’s head whirled around and crashed into Siren. Their shields collided, and Ophion began forcing it back into the cliff. Siren struck the Cliffs just next to the ruins, knocking everyone off their feet.

“Are you alright?” Rex asked, pulling Pyra to her feet.

“I’m fine.” She replied.

“I’ve had it with you!” Malos shouted. “Pyra! Mythra!” He raised his sword and rushed forward just as Ophion unleashed another beam of light at Siren. It struck the Cliffs and unleashed a shockwave that tore through the ruins. The platform began to crumble. Before anyone could get clear, it gave way, sending all the combatants tumbling into the Great Void.


	9. Interlude 2 - The Paragon of Torna

“Ahoy!” Addam bellowed from the deck of the longboat. “Miss me?”

The crowd of people gathered had been rather concerned when half a dozen Ardainian Titan ships anchor nearby, but they broke into cheers when they saw Addam’s face. He jumped over the deck’s railing and landed on the dock before the Titan had even started mooring. He ran to the crowd and began shaking hands as Lora and the others got out.

The crowd was equal parts citizen and soldier, many of whom wore uniforms from disparate nations. More than a dozen were accompanied by Blades. As Addam moved through the crowd, he directed some back toward the docks where more longboats were arriving from the flagship, carrying the first batch of Candorisian refugees. Orders were shouted over the noise of the crowd, and soldiers rushed back and forth collecting blankets and tents. All of them, however, did so smiling.

“Someone’s got himself a bit of a fan club.” Lora said.

“Maybe that’s why he decided to take action.” Hugo suggested. “To wield that love for good.”

“This seems like a bit much.” Mikhail said, catching everyone by surprise. “Why are there so many people here?”

“This is Aletta.” Milton explained. “Master Addam’s domain. And that over there is his manor.” He motioned up to a large stone house sitting on a hill above the port. “Though with the war going on, the militia’s been using it as their headquarters.”

“Certainly fit for a prince.” Lora said.

“Eh.” Mythra shrugged. “It could stand to be bigger. And, you know, not in the middle of nowhere.” She gestured around. Most of the port and the surrounding land had been overtaken by the militia’s camp, and the city around Addam’s manor wasn’t much larger than one of the nearby villages.

“Are you completely incapable of saying anything without sarcasm?” Lora asked.

“Sorry.” Mythra smirked. “It’s just how I am. I don’t really think I can help it.”

“She’s right, though.” Hugo said. “In a sense. We are quite a way from the capital.”

“Fourth in line to the throne and stuck managing a backwater province like Aletta.” Aegaeon sighed. “At least it’s afforded us a little more discretion. I can’t imagine High Prince Zettar would have been quite so amiable to having an Ardainian fleet anchored outside his manor.”

“You there!” Addam shouted back at them. “What are you standing around for? There’s work to be done!”

-

“Alright, Mik.” Milton said, leading the boy into the manor’s kitchen. “Have you ever worked with food before?”

The boy nodded.

“Good. Get started chopping these veggies.” Milton pulled a handful of vegetables from the larder and handed them to Mikhail. The boy found a knife and immediately began chopping. His cuts were fast and precise, and he collected the results in a large bowl.

“Hey, you’re pretty good at that.” Milton said. Mikhail shrugged.

“Not really.” He said. “Anyone could do it. I’ve just had more practice is all.”

“Looks good to me, anyway.” Milton nodded. “Then I think I’ll get to the— Oi!” Milton shouted as he turned to see Mythra sprinkling a handful of spices over a slab of meat. He ran up and snatched it out from under her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Preparing the meat, of course.” She said. “Are your eyes not working? Now put that back down.”

“Well cut it out, back away, and don’t touch anything.” Milton said. He brought the meat over to another counter and began to assess the damage.

“But why?” Mythra asked. She tried to bring the spices over to him, but he grabbed that from her hands as well.

“Seems like fun.” Lora said as she and Haze entered the building. The sun had begun to set outside. “Why don’t we help?”

“Don’t encourage her.” Milton groaned. “You wouldn’t talk that way if you knew the atrocities of Mythra’s cooking.”

“Atrocities?” Haze asked. Milton slipped into a thousand-yard stare for a moment before coming back to reality.

“There are no words to describe it.” He said.

“With that combination of spices?” Mikhail asked, sniffing the air for a moment. “I can think of one. Damaging.”

“Hey, watch it!” Mythra shouted. “Don’t go around saying mean things like that.”

“Mythra?” Addam asked, ducking his head into the room. “Can I borrow you?” Jin came in behind him. They had both shed most of their armor, and Jin had his sleeves rolled up.

“What for?” She asked. “I’m about to help with dinner.”

“Lora, you too.” Addam continued. “I’d like to get in a bit of sparring before we eat, just to keep our skills in shape. We never know when we’ll run into Malos again.”

“I don’t mind, but-” Lora started.

“I’ll help with the cooking.” Jin said. “You and Haze never had a knack for it anyway.”

“Very true.” Haze smiled. “Shall we, my lady?”

“Fine.” Mythra sighed, giving up on getting her spices back from Milton. She followed Lora and Haze back outside. Addam and Milton exchanged relieved glances before he left as well.

“Th-thank goodness.” Milton stammered, letting out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding.

“Surely it can’t be that bad.” Jin said. Milton looked up at him, his eyes wide. Slowly, he shook his head. Jin simply shrugged and got to work preparing the broth.

-

Addam stood in the middle of a field, crossing weapons Lora. Mythra’s sword against Haze’s staff. Every strike one of them attempted, the other would swiftly block. They were locked in a stalemate. Despite how little progress he’d made, Addam’s grin was as wide as ever.

“Amazing, Lora!” He exclaimed. “Even when I foresee your movements, you counter me instantly!”

“You should thank Haze for that one.” Lora smirked. “My success here is thanks to her power, after all.”

“Not entirely. Restricting my foresight wouldn’t do you any good without the skill to match me in combat.”

“Why don’t we take the kid gloves off then? How about you start using Mythra’s other abilities?”

“Oh? And what if we did?”

“Then I’d bring out my original Blade.” Lora and Addam’s weapons collided once again, and Addam’s grin widened. They each retreated for a moment, preparing for another round of attacks.

“Master Addam.” Jin said, cutting their match short. He and Mikhail had approached during their last round. “If you’re done for the day, the evening meal is ready. Milton’s bringing it to the mess now.”

“Is it that time already?” Addam asked, sheathing Mythra’s sword.

“Come on then.” Haze said. “Let’s eat while the food’s hot.” Her, Lora, Addam, and Mythra all followed Jin and Mikhail back into the camp’s mess, where Jin’s soup was ready for them. Milton began apportioning it out into bowls as they all sat down.

“Oh, finished already?” Brighid asked as they entered. She stood from where she was sitting and joined them as they began to eat. “That’s a shame. I was hoping to join in on the fun.”

“By yourself?” Mythra asked.

“His Majesty has many pressing matters to attend to. I’m used to working alone.”

“A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul.” Mythra said. “That’s their very nature. Haze and Lora are stronger together than apart. Addam and I are as well. You’re not at full strength without Hugo.”

“It’s not so simple as all that.” Addam shook his head. “You have power I’ve yet to unlock. In a certain sense, I’m the one holding you back.”

“Don’t say that. I’ve been giving it my all, and so have you.”

“And yet you never stop growing. Though I do feel we made some progress today, thanks in no small part to you, Haze. Your ability will be indispensable for further training.”

“You honor me too much.” She replied, her cheeks nearly burning as bright as her Core Crystal. “I’m just happy to help you both whoever I can.”

“You know…” Mythra said, motioning between Haze and Lora. “Next to each other like that, you two really do look like twins.”

“It’s rare for the Driver’s nature to appear so strongly in their Blade.” Brighid commented.

“People tell me that from time to time.” Lora said, studying Haze’s face. “But is it really true?”

“It’s a shame your nature couldn’t have appeared more strongly in your other Blade.” Addam said, glancing at Jin. “I’d very much like to spar with you two sometime.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass.” Jin said. “I don’t particularly enjoy fighting.”

“And to think we’re hearing that from the strongest man in Torna.”

“My Lord! My Lady!” A soldier shouted, running up to Addam and Mythra and taking a knee. “We’ve received word from Indol! Malos is on the move! His target is the capital!”

-

Quaestor Amalthus stood in front of the mural in the inner Praetorium. He continued to stare, though he’d already practically memorized every detail on its surface. He was so engrossed in it he failed to notice Malos manifest behind him.

“Hi.” The man said, startling Amalthus. The Quaestor took a moment to compose himself.

“Malos.” He said. The two stared at each other for a moment. “And here I thought I had seen the last of you.”

“Now, now. I never meant our parting would be forever, you know. I’ve been thinking recently about Torna. I bed it would be real interesting to see it in its true form.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“Learn?” Malos sputtered a laugh. “Inside my core, I have all the data of all Blades and Titans.”

“You have all of it?” Amalthus asked. “You think to call yourself the Master Blade?”

“Sure, why not? Exciting, isn’t it?”

Amalthus didn’t dare a reply.

“But enough about me.” Malos said, putting a hand on Amalthus’s shoulder. “I’ve just gotten back from Candoris, and who did I see there but my partner. In the hands of the Tornan prince, no less.”

“Are you here to erase me?”

“Not at all. I have a much better idea than that. I’ve decided my next target is Torna.”

“Why would you tell me so plainly?”

“So you know what to look forward to as you watch.” Malos patted him on the shoulder, a thin smile creeping across his lips. A moment later, he dissolved back into a cloud of dark ether. Amalthus stood for a moment before turning back to studying the mural.

-

Azurda drifted down into Genbu’s mouth as the Titan swam across the Cloud Sea’s surface. He landed at a harbor in the back of its throat, half a dozen Titans closely behind him. Waiting for him was a stern-looking woman in black armor. Imbedded in her chest was a mechanical device, a small circle of black metal with a blue crystal set in the middle. It almost resembled an eye. On either side of her stood her Blades. Herald, a large dragon that towered nearly twice her height, and KOS-MOS, a blue-haired mechanical warrior. The twin swords of Genbu.

“Princess Lillith.” Azurda said, bowing his head before the woman in black. “A pleasure, as always.”

“State your business.” She said, pressing the head of one of KOS-MOS’s golden spears against his throat.

“Malos’s army intends to sink Genbu.” Gwynn said, sliding off Azurda’s back. Clíodhna and Dormarch jumped off after him. “We’re here to stop them.”

“You think us so weak?”

“He sunk Coeia in one night. He sunk Candoris in under an hour. If we do nothing, he’ll sink Genbu too.”

“How can I trust the word of a Gormotti savage?”

“Trust the word of prince Addam.” Azurda cut in before Gwynn could reply. “He sent us here personally while he attended to resettling the Candorisian refugees.”

“Cheeky brat.” Lillith spat. “Sending a Titan and a savage to do his dirty work. Don’t think I don’t…” She trailed off as she noticed a black cloud on the horizon.

“They’re here.” Gwynn said. “Unless you can force Genbu to dive somehow, we’re your best option.”

“When this is over, you leave my province.” Lillith hissed. “Am I clear?”

“Crystal.” Gwynn sighed. He unclipped Dormarch’s twin rings and motioned for the other Titans to begin landing. Drivers and Blades dismounted, filing past and forming ranks with Lillith’s soldiers, spreading out across Genbu’s mouth. He spotted a few he recognized. Kora, Crossette, Dahlia, and Agate. A regiment that had been returning from Duthract when Temperantia had been hit. These Blades weren’t used to fighting with Azurda’s unit, but neither of them were complaining. The others from the battle of Temperantia were there as well, along with Zenobia and Adenine. The two of them had stuck around. Even Dagas, the “king” of Regideria, had agreed to join up to get his revenge.

The last Titan landed, dropping off the Urayan king. Lillith didn’t bother trying to hide how much that pissed her off, but she held her ground. Neither of them said a word as he took up a position next to her. His Blades stood with him. Floren, a thin green-haired boy, and Electra, a small girl Gwynn had once seen destroy two Gargoyles with one blast of electricity. As middling as the king was as a driver, his Blades were an asset they couldn’t turn away.

“How long?” Azurda asked, lumbering up to where Adenine was talking with Zenobia and her Driver. He was on the smaller side, a timid man. He made himself scarce as the Titan approached.

“Best Guess?” Adenine replied. “Two minutes.”

“What is everyone just standing around?” Zenobia asked. “Shouldn’t we be prepping defenses or something? It’s not like they’ll only attack this port.”

“That’s exactly what they’ll do.” Gwynn said. “Bar-Yuchnei’s got a sort of fixation with Titan interiors. It tried getting at Uraya’s heart like this too, not even two months after Malos sunk Coeia. It would have succeeded too if Addam hadn’t been there. It hasn’t deviated from the pattern once in its four subsequent attacks.”

“You guys fought this thing five times and still haven’t managed to kill it yet? Man are you lucky I came along when I did. Any longer, and we’d have lost the war by now.”

“It escaped death at Addam’s hands because we were inside Uraya at the time.” Azurda said. “But that doesn’t preclude the fact that it has killed nineteen Drivers to date. So keep your wits about you. The Gargoyles are bound to arrive at any-” Something struck the roof of Genbu’s mouth. The sound of the impact followed it a moment later.

“This is it!” Gwynn shouted. Blades all around the harbor began unleashing elemental attacks against the object as it unfolded. It was an elongated bird-like Artifice with three pairs of wings sprouting from its back at odd angles. It held onto the roof of Genbu’s mouth with a pair of large three-pronged talons and studied the defending forces through a set of four yellow eyes. Its tail whipped around, carving a chunk out of the roof before pointing at one of the Drivers. Her Blade threw up an ether shield just as a lance of energy shot out of the tail. It cut through the shield and sliced the Driver in half.

Clíodhna ran to her and began working, doing her best to sustain the woman before her Blade faded. The other Drivers ran for cover as Bar-Yuchnei dropped. It didn’t make it to the ground.

A tidal wave of clouds struck it, slamming it into Genbu’s jaw. Princess Lillith strode forward, her mechanical device glowing. She hefted one of KOS-MOS’s spears and hurled it at the Artifice, skewering one of its wings. The Cloud Sea wrapped around it, slowing its movement as she readied another throw. Its wings spun around, slicing through its bindings in an instant. It ran forward, a thin arm unfolding from its chest and aimed to grab Lillith as its tail continued to fire bursts into the crowd. Zenobia jumped at it and slammed her fist into its head, crumpling one of the metal panels. Herald fired a blast of electric breath at it as it unfolded two more arms.

It shrugged off the blast and kept going, whipping its tail around to keep anyone except Zenobia from getting too close. Its arms struck out at her any time she approached, keeping her just in front of it. Another wave of Cloud Sea reared up to slam into it as she kept it occupied. Two of its eyes whirled around and focused on the oncoming attack. It hunched low and jumped, sailing over Zenobia and Lillith and landing at the back of Genbu’s throat. With one beat of its massive wings, it took to the air.

The swarm of Gargoyles arrived just as Lillith turned to run after it. She held two of KOS-MOS’s spears toward Bar-Yuchnei, and golden light began to dance between them. A blast of light ether tore out from them like a cannon, striking one of its wings. It fell to the ground for a moment, and Azurda went after it. He just missed impaling the monster on his horn as it took to the air again. Adenine, standing on his head, jumped and grabbed onto the spear still sticking out from one of its wings.

Azurda looked back at the Drivers giving pursuit for a moment. Lillith was riding a wave of pure clouds, moving much faster than anyone else on foot. KOS-MOS was at her side and Herald flew just above her. Zenobia trailed just behind her, carrying her Driver on her shoulders. Gwynn and the Urayan king had stayed behind, but Azurda did spot a handful of Blades following him. He slowed a fraction and dipped his wing to the ground, allowing them to climb on. Dagas, Noporikh and his Blades, Electra, a four-armed Blade he didn’t recognize, and a pair of Blades that almost looked as much like twin sisters as their Drivers.

A moment after Azurda entered the interior of Genbu, so too did a pack of Gargoyles. Another Titan passed through Genbu’s throat after them, carrying a second contingent of Drivers. Alarms began blaring in Theosoir off in the distance. Zenobia kicked off the wall and grabbed onto one of the Gargoyles, riding it down to where the rest landed just outside the city. She began tearing into it before the second Titan could even drop off its charges.

“I’ll catch up!” She shouted, flashing Azurda a smile as he continued after Bar-Yuchnei. “Just leave some of the giant bird for me, alright?”

He didn’t reply. By then, he was too far away. The Artifice had gone over a cliff, heading for a large stone structure carved into the Titan’s bones below. Lillith leapt off after it, the clouds around her and KOS-MOS spreading out to soften their landing. They barely even felt it, and in a moment, they were moving again. Herald was still firing blasts of electricity at it as they both glided down, never delivering more than a glancing blow.

Lillith caught up to Bar-Yuchnei as it reached the pillars marking the passageway to Genbu’s Crown. The clouds beneath her surged forward, molding into several thin spears that impaled one of its talons against the floor. The clouds began to slowly work their way up its leg from there. Spines along its back extended, and electricity began to arc between them. As Lillith approached, a bolt shot out and knocked one of KOS-MOS’s spears from her hand. A fourth arm unfolded from its chest as two of them began working its talon free. The other two grabbed at Adenine, who was still clinging onto one of its wings.

Azurda dipped to the side as he arrived, depositing the Drivers and Blades that had hitched a ride onto the battlefield next to Lillith. Herald joined him as he landed in front of Bar-Yuchnei. The Blade held a large cannon and fired off several bursts of ether in quick succession at the Artifice. Its tail whipped around and returned fire. Azurda lurched forward, catching one of the blasts in the leg but managing to wrap his hand around its head. Instantly, the two arms that had grabbed Adenine hurled her at him before grabbing his hand themselves. Energy began to alight along their palms, burning Azurda’s hand. He tightened his grip, threatening to tear its armor off.

“I need it alive!” Adenine shouted, running up his arm and leaping onto its head. Azurda let go as she latched herself on, furiously scrabbling at the armor plates he’d loosened. It tried to wrench her off again. The four-armed Blade ducked underneath its talons and grabbed its arms in her own. Its hands gathered together into a crude ether accelerator, striking the Blade with a blast that sent her flying past Azurda and Herald into the nearby wall.

Immediately Kasandra and Electra swung their hammers into its side. Both made a dent, but the Artifice didn’t move. The spines along its back reorganized into two clusters, one aimed at each Blade. Blasts of energy fired from both. Kasandra managed to bear the brunt of the attack with her hammer, but Electra was thrown back. The ridge along the length of its back ripped up, forming another cannon-tipped appendage. It fired at Lillith as she hurled more spears towards it.

Its talon ripped free as Azurda attempted to grab one of its wings. He drove his horn through the skeletal frame, trying to tear it free of the rest of the Artifice. It took to the air, seemingly unbothered by Azurda’s weight, before another blast of light ether from Lillith struck it. It lowered a fraction, and Dagas climbed aboard, imbedding his axe into the side of its leg. One of the arms threw Adenine at him while the others fired blasts at Kasandra. The four-armed Blade tore itself free from the wall and struck out at it with a katana. The slice bit through one of its arms, and immediately its tail struck her back to the ground before returning to firing at Herald.

One of the twin blades began swirling a vortex of water underneath Bar-Yuchnei, and the other tore large chunks of ice up from it, trying to pin the Artifice to the ceiling. They stood with their Drivers behind Boreas, who had extended his ether shield over the five. When none of the ice penetrated its armor, Crossette began hurling explosives at it, trying to weaken some of its armor or take out its armaments. One of its spine-clusters took a full blast and went dormant. Immediately the second stopped blasting at Kasandra and struck Crossette into Lillith. She shrugged the Blade off and continued firing at the Artifice.

Electra leapt up and struck Bar-Yuchnei’s wing as Dagas was wrestling with the prehensile appendage slowly carving his arm off. The entire Artifice shuddered, and Azurda managed to adjust his grip enough to put his horn through its neck. The cut was shallow, but it exposed some of the wiring. Adenine blasted herself back up to its head with a stream of wind, narrowly avoiding two shots meant for Boreas and one of Lillith’s that struck Bar-Yuchnei’s tail. She began rooting through the Artifice’s interior wiring. More of its thin chest-arms, six this time, began to grab at her. Electra struck them aside with a blast of electricity and grabbed onto one, trying to pull it free. The four-armed Blade jumped up and grabbed ahold of a second one.

The twin Blades changed tactics, beginning to rain ice down on it from above. One of the spikes nearly struck it to the ground. Immediately its tail spun around and fired a blast through Boreas’s ether shield, taking the head of one of their Drivers. Boreas tackled the other to the ground, and Kasandra threw up another ether shield around the remaining Blade and Boreas, costing her the battle against Bar-Yuchnei’s blast. It hurled her back into the wall and continued firing, turning the stone around her to glass.

Dagas ripped its spinal appendage free just before it managed to tear his own arm off and trudged up the Artifice, axe digging into its armor with repeated, furious swings. Two of its arms pulled back from struggling against Electra and the four-armed Blade and fired a blast that sent him flying back out of the passage. More of Crossette’s explosives struck its back as it did, damaging one of the arms.

Its tail finally managed to strike Herald with a full blast, knocking the Blade into the dirt, and turned on Azurda. It fired, full bore, into his chest. With a howl, he tore its wing free in response. The pair dropped to the ground, nearly crushing the Blades underneath them. Lillith’s clouds caught up with them and began swarming Bar-Yuchnei as another spear impaled one of its wings to the ground.

A pulse of energy rippled out from its chest, knocking all the combatants back. A device extended from a hole in its back and began gathering dark ether. Its tail whirled around and struck Lillith in the leg before turning on Boreas, trying to pry through his skin. Crossette and Noporikh attacked it with their bitballs, but none of the attacks did much damage. The fall had, however, freed Kasandra from the wall. She struck the tail with her hammer, cracking its armor and causing the energy stream to flicker for a moment. In that moment, however, Boreas screamed. He collapsed, the second twin’s Driver dead in his arms. Her Blade dissolved in the middle of driving a large spear of water through Bar-Yuchnei’s leg, still screaming herself hoarse.

Electra and the four-armed Blade continued to rip at its arms as it recovered. Before it could do something about them, however, a blast of wind struck it from behind. Zenobia sailed through the passage, Dagas on her back and Gwynn riding Dormarch beside her. She hurled hers and Dagas’s axe through one of its wings before jumping on its back and striking the plate armor with her fists.

It threw out another wave of energy from its chest, this time only really catching Zenobia as the other Blades threw up ether shields. The energy cascaded around them, scorching the walls and ceiling of the passage. Its hands began firing a beam of energy directly into Genbu’s spine as everyone recovered. Electra swung her hammer at the arms, and immediately they sprung up and poured the energy into her Core Crystal. She sparked and shuddered for a moment before dissolving into an inert crystal.

The four-armed Blade jumped back before the blast could be turned on her. She started swinging her katana through the air, creating arcs of flame to distract Bar-Yuchnei. Dagas pulled his axe from its wing and drove it through the base as Lillith hurled one of KOS-MOS’s spears through its leg. Its tail sparked to life at the impact, firing a stray blast into Noporikh that tore one of his wings off. He collapsed against the wall and both of his Blades dissolved.

“Get clear!” Adenine shouted, jumping off Bar-Yuchnei’s shoulder. She held its head in her arms. She wrapped an ether shield around herself, and Azurda caught her. He flew back as the others scrambled to get away. Herald grabbed Lillith and KOS-MOS, taking to the skies, while Crossette and the four-armed Blade simply ran. Dagas continued to tear at the Artifice’s wing, and Zenobia tried to wrench the device off its back. An instant before she could, the gathered ether detonated, blasting Bar-Yuchnei’s body to pieces and carving a long scar in the passageway, melting several of Genbu’s bones in the process. A last-second ether shield from KOS-MOS saved Zenobia and Dagas from destruction, but they were both thrown into the ceiling.

“Another one down.” Adenine said as Azurda let her to the ground. “Give me a moment to get the data.” She knelt down and began tinkering with the head, trying to pry it open. Azurda flew back over to the others. Gwynn and Dormarch were approaching the scar, trying to retrieve the lost or broken Core Crystals of the fallen, while Crossette and the four-armed Blade had simply collapsed. Lillith, however, stood still, surveying the blast.

“A fearsome beast.” She said. She motioned toward it with the stump of a hand, burned off in an attack Azurda hadn’t seem. “How many more like it remain?”

“Few that we know of, fortunately.” Azurda said. “This marks the third such Artifice we’ve managed to put down. There’s a fourth active in Torna, and most likely more Malos hasn’t unleashed yet.”

“Half a dozen Drivers lost to it alone.” Lillith shook her head. “Many more have likely fallen to its horde. We cannot sustain these kinds of losses for long.”

“This is actually a relatively good day, all things considered.” Gwynn said, trudging back out of the scar with the collected cores. “Fighting inside means we lose a lot less Blades than normal.” As he joined them, Zenobia crashed nearby, holding Dagas’s unconscious body.

“Good day my ass.” She growled. “I thought I told you guys to leave some for me.”

“There’s still plenty of Gargoyles for you to smash.” Gwynn replied. “The fight’s far from over.”

“I will return to my people.” Lillith said. “I’ll put as many of these monsters in the ground as I can. And…” She glanced over at Noporikh’s body. “I’ll let you stay long enough to bury your dead, after this is over.”

“Not going to join up?” Azurda asked. “We could use more capable Drivers like you.”

“My duty is to my people.” She replied. “I will destroy every monster that sets foot on Genbu, but I cannot afford to leave the Tantal province defenseless.”

“Win some, lose some.” Adenine said, tossing Bar-Yuchnei’s head into the air. “According to this thing’s logs, though, the next target was-” Suddenly jets ignited on the back of the Artifice’s head, slamming it into Herald. Tendrils snaked out of it and imbedded in its Core Crystal. It let out a howl, eyes rolling back, as electricity began to gather around it.

“What is this?!” Lillith shouted, reaching for one of her spears. Before she could grab it, Herald fired a blast of pure ether energy from its mouth, carving through the walls. Dormarch and Gwynn managed to block the shot with an ether shield, and Lillith and KOS-MOS got out of the way in time, but Crossette and the four-armed Blade weren’t so lucky. They were the slowest to recover from Bar-Yuchnei’s detonation, and they both caught the blast in the back.

Lillith and Zenobia were the first back on their feet, both striking at Herald as it took to the air. It flew haphazardly, still firing a beam of ether from its mouth. Gwynn and Domarch ran to get Dagas and the other unconscious Blades out of the line of fire. Azurda glanced back over his shoulder before rejoining the fight, offering Adenine a hand. When he looked, she was gone.

“Blasted woman.” He muttered. “Ducks out the instant she gets what she wants.” He shook his head and flew toward the fighting. Herald was drawing closer to the city with each blow exchanged. Azurda could still see many of the Gargoyles rampaging throughout the interior of the Titan.

Lillith saw them as well. The defending forces were clustered around the port and Theosoir, slowly working their way through the Gargoyles that flew overhead. Tornan soldiers had joined the fight, and dozens of them lay dead in the lake below the city. More Drivers and Blades had fallen as well. She paused for a moment, overwhelmed by the devastation. Herald slammed into the pillar holding the city up, and she stopped hesitating. Before it could climb any higher, before it could endanger any of her people, she stopped it. She drove one of KOS-MOS’s spears through her gut and collapsed to the ground. Herald collapsed a moment later.

“Titan.” She spat as Azurda landed next to her. “I’m sorry, but my people come first. Tell Prince Addam he’s…” She trailed off and fell unconscious. Gwynn rushed to her side, but KOS-MOS put out a hand to stop him. She shook her head as she and Herald slowly dissolved into ether. Azurda and Gwynn couldn’t even afford to mourn her sacrifice for more than a moment before they returned to the battlefield.

-

The next day, Addam led the group across the Tornan wilderness. They passed under a rock formation on their way up the winding road to the capital. When the sky was no longer in view, a blast fired from the cliff face opposite them. It was aimed to take the man’s head off. Mythra blocked the attack at the last second, deflecting it up into the rock above. Immediately the others fell into formation, drawing weapons and fanning out.

“What was that?” Lora asked. “Did anyone see where it came from?”

“The cliff.” Aegaeon said. “Concentrated ether blast. I’ve never seen power output like that before.”

“We have.” Mythra sighed. “Czernobog, one of Malos’s Artifices. It’s come after us before, always when we least-” A metal tail manifested next to her and struck her aside. It disappeared just as quickly, fading as hexagonal paneling masked its appearance.

“It’s invisible.” Addam said. “Form up, back to back, stay sharp.”

“An invisible monster?” Jin asked. “How many times has it given you the run around in the past?”

“I would have ended it in a single strike, if I could see it.” Mythra grunted. She pulled herself up and began drawing golden lines on the ground with the tip of her sword. She drew a circle around herself before spreading it outward.

“Plan?” Hugo asked, back to back with Aegaeon. He had his sword and shield out, and Aegaeon had drawn his katana.

“Its field is generated by a device on its skin.” Mythra said. “If we take that out, we stand a chance. My foresight will tell me where it is if I can get a good look at the thing.”

“Easier said than done.” Lora sighed. She glanced around at the light the lines gave off and noticed that, over some of them, the pattern became distorted slightly. Warped. Immediately she grabbed Jin’s sword and swung at the patch, striking metal plating. The panels flickered for a moment, revealing a segment of a tail, before recombining and returning the cloak.

“There!” She shouted, going in for a second swing. Jin struck it with a hail of ice shards. Before Hugo could strike it, it recoiled, slithering away from them. Mythra swung her sword and caught it with a burst of golden light, but the effect seemed minimal. A blast fired back at her, for an instant revealing the barrel of a large rifle. She blocked the shot and swung more bursts at it, but it had already moved on.

Jin began spreading a fine mist across the area, and Brighid swung her swords out into whips. Haze put herself in front of Mikhail and Milton, her staff raised, and a vortex of wind ether gathered within it. Addam had his sword at the ready, his back to Mythra as he looked for distortions in the lines. He saw one move through a gap in between himself and Lora. Straight for Haze and the kids.

“Milton!” He shouted, running to throw himself in its path. He raised his sword, expecting a strike. Mythra raised her hand to throw up a shield. Before he could be hit, however, something struck the distortion. A lance of dark ether, for a moment deactivating most of the invisibility along its chest. It tumbled over the side of the nearby cliff, and immediately Mythra struck it with a blow from Siren. It fell to the ground, twitching, as its invisibility returned, preventing her from taking another shot.

Everyone turned to see the man who had fired the shot. A tall man with a scar across his left eye and a tuft of light brown hair hanging over his right. He wore baggy leather pants and a black breastplate with ether lines running through it. On his chest was a red-speckled Core Crystal, and he held a pair of pistols, the barrels of which were set with dagger blades.

“It’s been too long, my Prince!” The man shouted, tossing the pistols into the air and catching them as daggers by the handles.

“Minoth.” Addam said. “I thought I told you to stop calling me that.”

“Another Blade?” Lora asked.

“Quaestor Amalthus’s.” Mythra said. “The same man who tipped us off about Malos. And the one who awakened him in the first place.”

“Malos’s Driver?” Jin asked. “He has one?”

“Not strictly.” Minoth said. “Malos doesn’t need him to maintain his shape, but the two share a strange bond. Malos confides in him, and he’s shied away from attacking Indol thus far.”

“Still.” Lora said. “I never imagined him having a Driver. I just sort of thought…” She paused. “I don’t know, that he just existed. Does that make any-”

“Down!” Mythra shouted, throwing an ether shield up flat on the ground. A moment later, Czernobog burst through it. It was still partially invisible, but the strike Mythra delivered when it fell had harmed the device generating the effect in some way. Its full body was largely visible. A single, snake-like body stretching from head to tail, with eight limbs branching off it at regular intervals. Between the two largest limbs, it held a massive rifle.

Jin rushed forward and slashed his sword along its body. Lora ran around it the other way, wrapping her rope around one of its arms and wrenching the rifle’s aim off as it tried to fire at Mythra. One of the other arms attempted to swat Jin aside, and he jumped over the swing. He tossed his sword over its body and Lora caught it, swinging at another arm as Jin jumped again. She threw the sword back to him as he descended, driving it through the armor paneling.

“You’ve got an interesting way of fighting!” Minoth shouted, running forward and peppering the Artifice with dagger strikes. “You are?”

“Lora.” She said, jumping back as it slithered forward, trying to slam into Addam. “He’s Jin.” She nodded to him as he slipped off its back, sword cutting a scar along its length. He tried pouring ice into it, but panels along its length opened, pouring out a mist of dark ether. He jumped back before it could cover him.

“And I’m Haze.” Haze said, stepping forward and blasting Czernobog with her charge of compressed wind ether. It slid back, straight into an attack from Hugo and Aegaeon. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Jin?” Minoth asked, converting his daggers back into pistols and firing a volley of shots at it. “You don’t mean from Torna, do you? Wasn’t his core stolen some-”

“Not a word to anyone.” Addam said, running past Minoth and plunging his sword into one of the Artifice’s limbs. Dark ether poured out of its palm as well, driving him back.

“Sounds like a good story is all I’m saying.” Minoth laughed. He jumped into the air and raked his daggers along its back, expanding the wound Jin had left. It batted Hugo aside and bucked upward, smacking Minoth with the weight of its full body. He tumbled, and it wrapped its tail around him. It turned around, slithering back toward Lora and aiming its rifle at Minoth’s head. Brighid landed on its body and drove one of her swords down the barrel. It fired anyway, blasting her back into a stone pillar holding up the formation above the battle.

It tossed the rifle aside and gripped Minoth by the head. Mythra jumped toward it, driving her sword clean through one of its hands. It recoiled and tried to grab at her with the other. Aegaeon threw a large wheel of ice spikes at it, striking the same spot on its tail repeatedly until it broke through and impaled it against the ground. Haze blasted the ether off its back as Addam and Hugo dealt with the smaller limbs, and Jin drove his sword into the wound. Minoth worked himself free and joined him, firing blasts into its back.

“Clear!” Mythra shouted. The moment Jin and Minoth jumped free, she struck it hard with a blast from her sword. Part of its back lurched out from under the rock formation, and instantly Siren blasted it in half. Haze barely had time to get the kids out of the way before the strike landed. The Artifice’s body lurched forward, some power still remaining. Mythra drove her sword through its head, and its arms fell limp.

“Are you insane?!” Milton shouted, scrambling out of Haze’s arms. “You could have killed us with that last attack!”

“Haze had you.” Mythra replied. “Foresight, remember?”

“Oh, yeah, because that always works out so well doesn’t it?”

“At least no one was hurt.” Addam said, putting himself between them. “Thanks largely to Minoth’s timely arrival. You never fail to impress, old chum.”

“Well maybe I should thank him.” Minoth let out a strained laugh.

“Thank who?” Lora asked. “And… Forgive me for asking, but you core is-”

“I’m a Flesh Eater.” Minoth said, cutting her off. She and Jin exchanged confused glances, and he sighed. “A being with human and Blade cells. An offshoot of long-lost Judician technology the Praetorium salvaged up. The aim was to create a Blade capable of using their full strength anywhere, with or without their Driver. That part’s certainly true, but I’m pretty sure I’m still a failed experiment.”

“I never knew Blades like that existed.” Lora said.

“A rather novel concept.” Jin said. “Though I’m sure it’s not without costs.”

“What about Amalthus?” Addam asked. “Isn’t he coming?”

“No.” Minoth frowned, the jovial expression quickly gone from his face. “I just heard rumors that you were back in Torna, so I thought I’d join up. On my own.”

“Surely you’ve at least spoken to him since…” Addam trailed off as he saw Minoth’s expression darken. “Ah. Well, we’re glad to have you.”

“You and your Driver don’t get along?” Hugo asked.

“He’s done some things I…” Minoth sighed. “I can understand his actions, but that doesn’t mean I can forgive them. I was willing to put that aside and work with the man, but after he climbed the World Tree and brought this down with him…”

“Malos.” Lora said. “So it’s true he’s from the World Tree?”

“A divine revelation from the Architect, he said.” Minoth let out a single, dry laugh. He turned to look across the Tornan countryside, peppered with craters left by Malos’s Artifices. “What kind of revelation is this, do you suppose? What kind of salvation? Could anyone call _this_ salvation? No. His hope caused this.”

“Hope?” Aegaeon asked. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“Sorry, I’m rambling.” Minoth shook his head. “What about you, Mythra? Answers changed any since we last spoke?”

“I follow Addam because he woke me up.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure what more you want from me. I have no particular interest in this world or its future.”

“And Malos himself? I heard you ran into him in Candoris.”

“Having met the man face to face, I can say I’m thoroughly unimpressed. His thoughts I’m especially uninterested in.”

“You can quit the interrogation, Minoth.” Addam said, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. “I’m keeping her on the straight and narrow. Despite the attitude, she’s a good kid.”

“Where the hell do you get off acting all parental?!” Mythra shouted.

“Oh come on!” Addam laughed, turning to her and spreading his arms. “I woke you up, I make sure you get enough to eat. If anyone’s got the right to a parental tone, it’s me.”

“I don’t know what you’re-”

“Cloud Sea crab sticks are tasty, aren’t they? You’re very welcome.” Addam smirked. “Though I don’t think I’d have managed to eat six myself.”

“You counted?” Mythra asked.

“I don’t know where you put all that.” Milton said from behind Haze. Mythra whirled around on his in an instant.

“I’m the Aegis!” She shouted. “I need all the fuel I can get!”

“Sure.” Milton laughed. “Where are my extra rations, huh?” As he laughed, Mikhail snuck up behind Mythra and poked her in the side. She jumped back, startled, and the pair ran off cackling.

“Milton!” She shouted, running after them. “You are so dead!”

“She is a good kid.” Minoth chuckled. “I guess I’ll sleep a little easier knowing at least one of the Aegises is living up to their title. Come on.” He began walking. “I’m staying in a nearby village. We can rest up there before we move on.”

-

An hour later, everyone sat around a table on the ground floor of a small village inn. Addam and Aegaeon had taken the kids and were volunteering to help cook the night’s meal, but the rest simply sat around conversing.

“Your fighting style.” Minoth said, leaning toward Lora. “The sword-swapping and everything. It’s very interesting, you know.”

“Thank you.” She replied. “But it’s still quite rough around the edges. I don’t have the power to keep up with Jin most of the time, so striking a balance is hard. It’ll take some more work before we’ve got it down properly.”

“I’m not talking about the power or technique.” He shook his head. “It’s that connection you have, human and Blade. It’s a bond you don’t often see anywhere else. Watching you two in motion… It’s like that’s how it’s supposed to be. I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. I never had that with my own Driver.”

“He is her favorite.” Haze said. “The two spend almost all their time together.”

“Oh come on.” Lora shoved her playfully. “I’m an equal opportunities Driver.”

“Liar.” Haze said, barely holding back a laugh.

“You’re both my partners, and very dear to me.” She huffed. “There’s no favoritism, I swear!”

“Are you really sure about that?”

“Getting jealous?” Jin asked. “Just because I’ve been with her longer?”

“That doesn’t make me wrong.” Haze crossed her arms.

“Alright then.” Lora said. “Starting tomorrow, Haze gets to take the lead. Sound good?”

“Wonderful!” Haze smiled.

“Fine by me.” Jin shrugged. The conversation continued to drift like that for some time before Addam returned. Mythra watched it all from a short distance away, leaning against the far wall. She watched them all with an amused detachment, turning over the words Minoth had said in her mind.

-

Amalthus and Addam stood back as Mythra unfurled from her Core Crystal. They watched, nearly still, as she stretched her limbs, checking that her body was in working order. Whispers rolled through the onlooking crowd, but most of them stood silent.

“A woman.” Amalthus said, venturing to speak. She didn’t react in any particular way, so he relaxed a fraction. “Quite lovely indeed. Malos was all brawn and brutish strength.”

“My partner.” She said. “You…” She closed her eyes for a moment. “You want me to stop him, right? You worried I’m not up to the task?”

“Quite the contrary. Everybody knows a Blade’s appearance bears no relation to their power. You could be the heroine of our resistance.”

“I won’t be anyone’s anything.” Mythra spat back. “I don’t even know where I am.”

“That’s fine, now.” Amalthus shrugged. “I have only one thing to ask of you. For the sake of Alrest, you must erase Malos from the face of the world.” As he spoke, he broke into a slight grin.

“We should take our leave.” Addam said, turning to go. “Come on…”

“Mythra.” She said. “I guess you’re my… Driver? Is that the word?”

“I suppose.” Addam shrugged. “It’s good to meet you.”

She looked back over the crowd. “What’s going on here, exactly?”

“They are Addam’s militia.” Amalthus said. “Sworn to stop Malos’s rampage. And you are their first real ray of hope in weeks.”

“Perhaps you’d like to say a few words?” Addam asked. Mythra stepped forward.

“Listen up!” She shouted, her voice echoing across the amphitheater. “I’m going to destroy Malos myself! The rest of you just need to stay out of my way!” With that, she began walking toward Uraya’s interior. The crowd parted to let her through. Amalthus let out a chuckle, and Addam hurried after her.

“What was that?” Addam asked, catching up with her as she descended the stairway.

“They don’t stand a chance against Malos. We both know that.”

“They’re stronger than you think.”

“They’ll survive longer if they don’t try to fight him. You woke me up to fight him, right? So let me.” They came to a stop just outside the stairway, on a road overlooking one of Uraya’s Coeian refugee camps.

“Fine…” Addam sighed. “We’d best start getting to know each other, then.”

“If you insist.”

“What did you think of that other man, Amalthus?”

“Strange question to start with.”

“Humor me.”

“Hard to say…” She muttered. “I’m still trying to put the situation together, but I could tell he wasn’t being honest. Protecting his heart with a mask of lies, as it were. Very human in that regard.”

“You’ve got rather sophisticated sentiments for being a few minutes old.” Addam mused.

“I’m an Aegis, right? I guess I’m just a cut above the rest.”

“I suppose. Are you curious what’s behind his mask?”

“Not really.” She shrugged. “Most humans are like that. I’ll make an exception for you, since you woke me up, but as a rule you seem to be a rather boring species.”

“You don’t think that’s a hasty assumption? Take Amalthus. The refugee protection policies were his work, after all.”

“So he’s a hypocrite, then.” She sighed. “Isn’t that what you call the type?”

“Quite. I hope that’s all he is.”

“He smiled, there at the end. Did you notice?”

“No.”

“Well… My partner Malos has been wreaking havoc for nearly two months now, right? I think this Amalthus guy might be enjoying it. The world in this state.”

“That’s an… interesting assessment.” He looked down at the refugees below. “And what about them?”

“What about them?”

“Do you think they’re worth saving? From your partner?”

She studied the refugees for a long while. “If you think they are, then I’ll give it my best shot.”

“Trusting my judgement so quickly?”

“You are my Driver.”

“It’s not an answer, though. You’d save them, even if you disagreed?”

“I don’t agree or disagree.” She said. “That’s simply not for the likes of me to decide. All I do is act. It’s up to you humans to decide the course.”

“Father fatalistic.” Addam mused. “So long as you’re going to help us, I’m not complaining. Still-” An explosion tore down the great stairway, knocking them both off their feet. A moment later, a handful of Gargoyles began tearing their way down it.

“Time to act, then.” Mythra said, clicking her tongue. She manifested her sword and took off toward the Gargoyles as the militia scrambled to get back in the fight.

-

That night, they all slept crammed into two of the inn’s rooms. Mikhail had nestled between Haze and Lora in one room, with Milton and Mythra huddled in the other bed. Hugo and Addam shared a room with the former’s Blades. Jin had decided to sleep outside, slumped against the wall of Lora’s room. Addam, however, wasn’t sleeping at all. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling for a while before finally getting up. Hugo shot him a quizzical look, but Addam shook his head. Hugo shrugged and let him go, taking his sword and leaving the village. He passed by Minoth on his way out, but neither said anything to each other. He found a cliff on the village outskirts and practiced his swings there in silence for an hour before Mythra showed up.

“Do you remember?” She asked. “When you first woke me up?”

“How could I forget?” He turned and sheathed his sword. “Where is this coming from?”

“What Minoth said earlier bothered me. I think he was talking about Malos, but his words could have just as easily applied to Amalthus.”

“I suppose.”

“What if all of this is what Amalthus wants? No- What all of humanity wants?”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I? What do we do if we defeat Malos, anyway?”

“Like I told Hugo, go home and work the land.” Addam turned back toward the cliff. “I didn’t get to harvest the Gromrice this year.”

“And then? They’ll go right back to killing each other. Any peace you create won’t last a day.”

“What is it you propose we do, then? Give up?”

“No. But…” She sighed. “I said I’m not interested in the world’s future because, frankly, I don’t think it has much of one. Even without Malos hastening things along.”

“That doesn’t mean we stop trying.” Addam put a hand on her shoulder. “I know faith is a funny thing to ask from the Aegis, but try to have some. Like Jin said, we aren’t entirely powerless.”

“No.” She turned away from him. “You’re right. But… If things are going to change, they have to want it to. And I’m not sure they do.”

“If you really think that, then why not let Malos wipe us out?”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then you’d better start working on another solution.” Addam smiled, returning to his sword practice. “Otherwise all our hard work will go to waste.”

-

“Morning.” Lora yawned, stepping out from her room. Jin was still half-asleep outside.

“Orn?” He asked, his eyes slowly opening. “That you?”

“Who?”

“I… I’m not sure.” He frowned. “Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“You’re just tired, is all.” Mythra said, walking up the nearby stairs. “Spending all night slumped over like that can’t have been pleasant.”

“I’m used to it.” He shrugged. She rolled her eyes and strode past Lora into the room, dragging Milton out of his bed. The two began to argue again as Lora closed the door.

“Something bothering you?” She asked.

“I…” He looked around. “This place feels familiar, somehow.”

“Do you think you’ve been here before?”

“I have no memory of it, but…”

“Maybe we could take a look around.” Lora offered. “We’ve still got a couple of hours before we head out again. We might find something that’ll jog your memory.”

“Maybe so.” He gave her a smile. More for her benefit than his. The two of them headed down to the ground floor of the tavern. As they left, an old man shouted something at them.

“Hey you!” He jumped up from the bar and ran over to them. His eyes were locked on Jin. “You wouldn’t be Ornelia’s Blade, would you?”

“Ornelia?” He asked. The name didn’t ring any bells. “No, I’m-”

“Jin, from the Territorial Defense Corps!” The man exclaimed. “It is you!”

“You knew me?”

“Knew you?” The man was almost taken aback. “I idolized you back then. I was knee-high to a grasshopper when you saved our village. I used to follow the two of you around everywhere.”

“What else do you remember?” Lora asked.

“The house you used to live in is still out there, on the outskirts.” The man said. “I’ll take you there myself, if you like.”

-

The house was barely standing when they arrived. Almost all of it had been covered over with vines, and part of the roof had collapsed. But one corner of the house was still relatively intact. In it was a shelf, carrying all manner of objects. There was a photo of him standing next to an old woman, surrounded by her family. She must have been Ornelia, he reasoned. When the image sparked nothing in him, he set it down and picked up a book. A diary. He flipped to a random page. The words on it froze him in place.

_We met a Flesh Eater today. On Ornelia’s advice, I didn’t kill her immediately. She suggested we turn her in to the Praetorium, but the outcome will likely be the same regardless. In exchange for her freedom, she offered to tell us_-

“How terribly desolate.” Lora said, snapping Jin back to reality. He shut the book and hid it behind his back as he turned. “I heard it’s been ninety years, but… What is it?” She took a step closer and examined his face. “Did you remember something?”

“N-no.” He stammered. “It’s nothing.”

“Really? That’s too bad. I would’ve liked to learn more about the old you.”

“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” He smiled. “I am who I am.”

-

“How about you?” Mikhail asked, walking around the village with Milton. “How long have you been with Addam?”

“Three years.” He replied. “A year with Mythra. When my village washed away in a flood, Addam was the one that helped us out.”

“It wasn’t the war?”

“Nope.” He sighed. “Just regular human stupidity. Resources were running low, and we stripped the mountain bare. The next thing we knew, the whole village was underwater.”

“Sounds rough.” Lora said, approaching them from the village outskirts. She motioned Jin on ahead, and he walked over to Aegaeon. “Are we swapping war stories?”

“Something like that.” Milton laughed. Mikhail remained silent. “You were looking for your mother, right? Did you get separated during the war?”

“If only that were the case.” She shook her head. “Mother used to work as hired help. When I was about ten, she worked as a maid. That was when Jin came into my life.”

“You were a Driver at ten?!” Mikhail exclaimed. It took him a moment to realize he’d said something and draw back into his shell.

“That’s right.” She laughed. “Though it happened almost by accident. Things got… bloody after that. I had to get out of there in a hurry, and somewhere along the way I lost track of her.”

“Just like me and Mik, I guess.” Milton smiled.

“Like plenty of kids out there, I’d imagine. That’s why I’d like to help. Stand by them, like Jin always stood by me. It’s almost more real than real family. Don’t you think, Mik?” She leaned toward him. He looked down. “What, no reaction? I’m really trying here, you know.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Milton said. “He’s smiling on the inside, just doesn’t know how to show it.”

Mikhail elbowed him in the side and walked away. Milton laughed and ran after him. Lora smiled and watched them chase each other around the village. Some of the local children decided to join in as well.

Mythra was also watching, from the porch of the inn. Addam approached and sat next to her. They just watched the children play for a while.

“You can join in, you know.” He said.

“And why would I?”

“Not with the kids, specifically, but you don’t need to ostracize yourself for being an Aegis. I happen to think you’ve got a lot going for you, you know.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” She said, standing up as Lora approached. “But I appreciate the gesture.” She walked away as Lora sat down. Lora shot Mythra a confused glance, but she didn’t look back.

“Am I interrupting something?” She asked.

“Not anymore, I guess.” Addam shrugged. “You want to talk about something?”

“Yeah. About the kids.”

“You think we shouldn’t bring them to the capital?”

“I think we shouldn’t be putting them in harm’s way.”

“I don’t have the heart to leave them here. Milton used to talk a lot about creating a place for himself in the world, and I feel duty bound to see that through.”

“But it’s also on us to see they don’t come to harm.”

“Well then, we’ll just have to protect them until we see this through, won’t we?” He stood up and whistled, grabbing everyone’s attention. “That’s enough down time, now. We’ve got a capital to save.”

-

The capital stood at the base of Torna’s tail, at a point where its wings folded in to meet the ground. As the group ascended the long staircase to the capital’s gates, Mythra glanced over her shoulder at the other end of the Titan, far in the distance. Its neck curled down, forming a ridge of spines and putting its head beneath the Cloud Sea. Mythra frowned, noticing that.

“That’s not right.” She muttered, stopping. “How did I not notice that before?”

“What’s not right?” Milton asked.

“This Titan…” She turned to Addam. “Why isn’t it in its real form?”

“So you noticed.” He sighed.

“What does she mean “real form”?” Lora asked.

“Torna’s Titan is, perhaps, the world’s most powerful. So powerful it developed a habit of sinking other Titans. When the kingdom of Torna was established, they used that power to coerce the other nations at the time into servitude. They used its power to rule Alrest for centuries, unseating Judicium as the world’s major power. Until one day, a group of rebels led by Alektos the First and backed by the Praetorium used lost Judician technology to seal the Titan’s power and end Torna’s rule of Alrest. Since then, the Titan has looked like this.” He pointed over his shoulder at a tower rising up from the center of the capital. Atop it was a large, glowing mechanism. “And that thing up there forms the seal.”

“Do you think that’s why Malos is targeting the capital?” Hugo asked. Addam nodded.

“Why would he do such a thing?” Brighid asked. “Wouldn’t it be a threat to him too?”

“Who knows what he’s planning.” Addam said. “But if he makes a move for it, we’ve got to defend it, at all costs.”

“Easier said than done.” Jin said. “We’ve only got nine fighters here. Even with Mythra and Haze, I doubt we’d be able to take on Malos’s entire army.”

“We’ve got an army or two of our own.” Addam said, resuming his walk up the stairs. “But we’ll need the king’s permission before they can move in. So before we set up defenses, we’ll need to pay a little visit to the palace.”

-

The Tornan king sat in his audience chamber. Quaestor Amalthus had arrived earlier that day with urgent news. The king and his brother had decided to oblige him. Now the three sat in almost perfect silence, unwilling to speak for fear it would make the news reality.

“The Aegis aims for the seal?” The king asked. He sat stock still, projecting a regal presence, but under the table his hands trembled. No ruler wanted to hear news that the Aegis had made their country his next target.

“Indeed.” Amalthus replied. “I know not when he will arrive, but I assure you he is coming. Surely you have received reports of his army marauding through your countryside, as I have?”

“The business of Torna is ours alone.” The king’s brother spat. “From whom have you received these reports?”

“I hardly think that matters now, High Prince. The Aegis is coming.”

“We have indeed received the reports you speak of.” The king said. “But I wonder, Quaestor, whether you have come with a solution to our plight, or merely wish to alert us of our fate?”

“Praetor Rhadalis stands prepared to offer the Praetorium’s full support, if Your Highness would only give his consent to our forces’ arrival within your borders.”

“This “war” began when the Aegis felled the country of Coeia.” The High Prince said. “Yet, in the first months before his actions became more widespread, the Praetorium claimed that act as their own. One has to wonder whether or not the Praetorium is truly committed to ending the scourge of the Aegis at all.”

“You would dare to question the generosity of the Praetor himself?”

“I would dare to question the actions of the man who brought this monster into the world in the first place.” The High Prince sneered. Amalthus averted his gaze. “Oh yes, Quaetor, you are not the only one with knowledge of that which they should not.”

“Your Highness!” A guard shouted, poking his head through the door to the chamber. “Prince Addam has arrived to see you! He claims to be here to defeat the Aegis!”

“Send him in.” The king sighed. “And let us pray he offers more help than the good Quaestor.” The guard nodded and closed the door. It opened again, after a moment, and Addam strode through. Hugo, Mythra, Lora, Haze, and Aegaeon accompanied him. They took seats next to Amalthus, opposite the king and his brother.

“It appears the dread Adrainian throne has given its trust to our young scion of Aletta.” The king said, studying the group.

“We stand in alliance against the Aegis Malos.” Hugo said.

“He plans to attack the capital.” Addam said. “We aim to stop him.”

“It gladdens us to see you both taking up arms for the sake of our kingdom.” The king smiled. “Tell us of this alliance of yours, then. How will you stop the Aegis?”

“We have gathered a militia of powerful Drivers and Blades from across Alrest.” Hugo said. “And I stand ready to commit the entire Ardainian fleet to the cause. With your permission, they will gather here and mount a defense of the city while we confront the Aegis himself.”

“Noble Hugo. Good Quaestor. At this time of grave peril, you have afforded us your trusty aid.” He bowed his head. His bother did as well, after a moment. “We are ashamed we can only offer our gratitude as due.”

“I am scarcely worthy of it, Your Majesty. As the Titans breathe, I merely followed Prince Addam against the peril we face. In truth, it is to him that your kind praise is due.”

“Mark it well, our young scion of Aletta.” The king smiled. “That trust that has been placed in you is no trifling thing.”

“Your noble honors pierce my unworthy heart.” Addam said. “My Lord.”

“Begging your pardon, Lord.” The High Prince said. “Would that honor were the only currency in this grave business. An armed band transgressed the sacred boundaries of the capital, without regal assent. And bearing foreign agents, no less. The act merits bitter punishment!”

“Suppose you that our soldiers can subdue Malos alone?” The king asked.

“I-I don’t-”

“Indeed.” The king cut him off. “The army of resistance fearlessly dashes to our nation’s aid. They tremble not in the face of the mightiest of foes. To punish them is unthinkable.”

“Yes, but-”

The king raised his hand, cutting him off once again. “Zettar, what does not bend only breaks. We must suffer to Addam his just bounty, if we are to see this through.” He turned to Addam. “We hereby enfeoff you, as Lord of Heblin.”

“This is too much for me, my Lord.” Addam said. “I am merely here to request permission for our forces to move freely within your lands.”

“As you wish.” The king nodded. He placed his hand against a device in the center of the table. A moment later, the door opened, and a handful of soldiers and officials entered the room. “Brave soldiers of Torna, hear your king! Our country must make its own sacrifice to halt the terrible power of the Aegis! The forces of Addam’s militia, as well as the Ardainian fleet, will be allowed full passage through our lands.”

“Indol, too, pledges its flesh and blood to the cause.” Amalthus said. “The Praetor wishes to correct the lack of foresight on our part which has brought us to this pass.”

“Many thanks, my Lord.” Addam said, standing as the king dismissed the officials. “But I must now busy myself with the command of my troops. Rest assured, we will not allow Malos to succeed.” He and the others bowed and took their leave. Soon, only the king and High Prince Zettar sat in the audience chamber. The king stood and walked over to the window, watching Jin and Brighid play with Milton and Mikhail in the palace courtyard.

“My brother.” Zettar spat. “Or, rather, my Lord. What is your aim? Why give Heblin to Addam?”

“He has declined our offer.” The king said. “Perhaps our good wishes suffice.”

“He makes allies of foreign lords without permission! He gathers together a fighting force that marches, unimpeded, through our lands! These are not the actions of a man with our kingdom’s interests at heart.”

“These are the actions you would take, then? If you were to overthrow me?”

“I would never dream of it, my Lord.”

“Indeed.” The king turned to face Zettar. “Hear me well. This sickened world rests heavy upon our crown. Too heavy, I fear, for our mortal neck. And this disorderly throne would be most apt for one who could set it in order. One such as a man capable of opposing the might of the Aegis.”

“You mean to set my birthright on that caitiff’s shoulders?!” Zettar shouted. “Brother, I-”

“We have spoken.” The king said, narrowing his eyes.

“As you wish.” Zettar growled. He, too, turned to take his leave.

-

Titans carrying the militia’s forces had barely begun to arrive when the first explosion ripped through the capital. Addam and Hugo could feel it from inside the palace’s operations center, where they’d been coordinating the arrival of the fleets from. They ran outside to find Mythra floating in the air above the others, her eyes scanning the horizon.

“Gargoyles.” She said, one of her hands twitching. A moment later, a dozen beams of golden light shot from the sky and struck the edges of the city. “Siren will hold off as many as it can, but they’re already inside the city.”

“The tower!” Addam shouted, breaking into a run. “We don’t have a moment to lose!”

“What about the militia?” Aegaeon asked.

“They can handle themselves!” Addam replied. He and Mythra were already halfway across the courtyard. “We’ve got to handle Malos!”

“Wait here.” Lora said, crouching down next to Milton and Mikhail as the others took off after Addam. She pushed them, gently, toward the palace interior. “You’ll be safer here than with us. I promise we’ll be back soon.” Without waiting for a reply, she ran to join the others.

-

Malos strolled up to the base of the seal’s tower, whistling to himself as his Gargoyles descended upon the city. Before he could put his hand on the door to open it, however, a blast of water struck him from behind. It barely moved him, but it did get his attention. Behind him, Gwynn and his Blades stood with a contingent of Drivers and Blades. The Urayan king and Floren were at his left. Mabon and Vess stood at his right. Sheba, Nim, Dahlia, Kora, Agate, Newt, and Crossette all stood with their Drivers, scattered around the courtyard.

“The Aegis.” Gwynn said, a grim look on his face. “Your rampage ends here.”

“Does it?” Malos asked. “Shame. I was just getting to the fun part. Would you mind letting me finish? I promise the view will be spectacular.”

“You’re going to pay for the lives you’ve stolen.” Gwynn raised Dormarch’s twin rings. Malos walked forward, mildly amused. Zenobia dropped on him from above, driving his face into the ground.

“You’re right.” She said. “That was fun.” Without waiting for a reply, she jumped off him. He jumped at her a second later, screaming as he flew. Sheba struck him from the air with a blast of water. Mabon and Vess ran forward, spiking a ball of electricity at him. He caught it with a cloud of dark ether, dispersing it. Zenobia jumped at him again, and he struck her into the ground. She carved a long furrow in the stone floor as she tumbled. Nim and Kora ran at him, striking him in the chest with their gauntlets. He moved back a step and planted his feet, swinging his fists into the pair of women. He caught Nim in the chest, and a wave of dark ether in his palm washed over her. Vess struck him with another ball of electricity before he could do the same to Kora.

Clíodhna threw a wave of water over Malos as Dormarch retrieved Nim’s body. The ether hadn’t yet eaten through her core, and Clíodhna set about healing her. Newt drew her Katana and rushed forward with her Driver, a young Coeian man. A wave of dark ether ate through the water around Malos, and it was instantly replaced with fire, thrown from Newt’s larger pair of arms. Malos jumped forward and grabbed them. Instantly Kora struck him in the side again, and a stone spike tore itself up from the ground to knock him back from both Blades before he could destroy them. Agate’s Driver rushed forward, brandishing her axe as her Blade threw up spikes around the battlefield. One tore through Malos’s foot, and he was pinned for an instant. Dahlia kicked her ball into his face, and Kora struck him with a series of blows.

He shrugged off both attacks and broke through the wall of spikes. He slammed a fist into Newt and grabbed her sword. Instantly he turned and thrust it through Agate’s Driver, impaling her against the ground. A blast from Sheba knocked him off balance before he could finish her off, but he took her axe and threw it back into the crowd around him. It carved an arc of dark ether through the air, ending in the head of Sheba’s Driver. She fired as many shots as she could at Malos before she dissolved. He blocked them, almost casually, with a wave of his hand.

Zenobia shot up from the scar she’d carved and struck Malos to the ground with her axe. She jumped back, and Crossette threw a pair of bombs at him. They detonated before he was back on his feet, and the ground beneath him collapsed. Floren tore a large boulder up from the ground and tossed it into the crater. Malos punched the boulder as it descended, shattering it. He leapt out of the crater and slammed his knee into Zenobia’s stomach. She swung her axe at his head fast enough to part the air around him. He caught it inches from his forehead. He smirked, and in an instant her axe’s head dissolved.

Zenobia scrambled back as another wave of water washed over Malos. Dahlia froze it the second it touched his body, creating one large block of ice. Everyone repositioned as Malos tore his way out. He jumped into the air, and Crossette struck him with another bomb. Gwynn drove a ring into his gut as he landed, jumping back to let Dormarch blast him with a sonic wave before the Aegis could grab him. Dahlia kicked him in the face and jumped off, blinding him momentarily and allowing Mabon to hit him in the back. Kora tried to go in for a follow up strike, but he caught her fist in his own. He slammed a wave of dark ether into her chest with his free hand. She dissolved nearly instantly.

Mabon knocked him in the head with Vess’s ball, and Dahlia spiked hers into the back of his leg. He fell forward, grabbing Mabon’s skull and slamming it into the ground. Vess dissolved as he stood. Gwynn and Zenobia didn’t give him the chance. Gwynn grabbed Clíodhna sword and drove it through Malos’s arm, nearly cutting it off. Zenobia grabbed his head and jumped. He only avoided having his arm pulled off by kicking Gwynn back at the last moment. He twisted in the aid and threw Zenobia into the side of the tower. Floren began hurling chunks of stone up at him, and he blasted through them with a wave of dark ether. He landed and drove his hand through the Urayan King’s gut before the others could stop him.

Crossette blanketed the area in explosives as Nim staggered to her feet. She and Dahlia ran forward through the smoke and began delivering blows to Malos before he could recover. Nim struck him into the ground with a continuous blast of wind, and Dahlia began driving spikes of ice through his limbs. He drove his leg into the ground, tearing it up and tearing through Dahlia’s attack. He jumped back, grabbing ahold of Dahlia’s driver and disintegrating him from the inside out with tendrils of ether. Nim rocketed through Dahlia’s ether field and struck Malos to the ground. He knocked her aside and shot a lance of dark ether through her core before she could recover.

Newt grabbed him from behind, pinning him to the ground as Crossette ran forward. He threw her off himself, but not before Crossette grabbed onto his head. More than a dozen explosives on her chest detonated, carving a chunk out of her own chest and crushing one of his eyes. He staggered back and screamed, putting his fist through Newt’s Driver. Zenobia tried to hit him again, but he anticipated the strike and caught her leg. As it dissolved, her Driver ran forward with Agate’s discarded axe. He swung it at Malos’s head. It knocked his Blade free, but in retaliation Malos swiped a hand through his chest. He collapsed. Clíodhna ran to his side, but Zenobia had already begun to dissolve.

Gwynn drove his sword through Malos’s back before the Aegis could recover. He pushed the Blade to the ground and began to hack away at him. Each hit delivered no more than a glancing blow, but a shroud of water ether around him kept Malos from dissolving him. The assault also kept Malos in one place.

“Now!” Gwynn shouted, throwing up a shield of water around himself and hurling himself back. Dormarch let out a high-pitched roar. Instantly, a stream of orange ether tore across the city and struck Malos dead on. It continued for several seconds, dissolving everything it touched. It ended abruptly when a blast from Malos’s Siren destroyed the ether accelerator producing it. As the stream subsided, Malos stood back to his full height. He’d crouched slightly and put up a shield around himself. His armor was singed in places, but otherwise he was unharmed.

Before Gwynn could react, Malos manifested his sword and rushed forward. He drove it through Gwynn’s gut with a manic grin on his face. Clíodhna and Dormarch unleashed a barrage of spikes at him, but none of them reached his core before they dissolved.

-

Addam and Mythra reached the base of the tower just as Malos drew his sword from Gwynn’s stomach. The man’s body collapsed, and the Aegis turned to face them. All around him were the corpses and cores of fallen militia soldiers.

“You’re late, partner!” He shouted. His voice was barely audible over the noise of the fighting in the city. “You missed all the fun!”

Addam bent down next to one of the corpses as Mythra strode forward. “You will be avenged.” He muttered.

“This guy said something similar.” Malos kicked Gwynn’s body, sending it flying several feet. “Didn’t work out too well for him, though.”

“What are you planning?” Mythra spat.

“I got bored of it.” Malos shrugged. “Letting Siren have all the fun got old. Our little sparring match in Candoris made me realize that what I want most is to see the humans dance!” He grinned. “I want to watch them squirm as-” A beam of golden light shot down at him. An ether shield appeared above him and took the shot, shattering in the process. Instantly, however, he put up another one.

“You’re twisted.”

“I’m a visionary. I see the things others would rather not.” He turned around and motioned up at the tower. “Like that, for instance. This kingdom likes to pretend and play nice, but we both know what the Tornan Titan really is. And I’m going to lay that truth bare, for everyone to see.” He looked back over at Mythra, his grin widening. “What kind of dance will the humans do then, I wonder, when my Artifices detonate its core? Wouldn’t you like to find out?”

“Bastard.” Addam growled. He stood up and drew his sword as the others arrived, advancing on Malos.

“Want me to stop?” Malos laughed. “You’re going to have to make me.”

“Suits me just fine.” Addam rushed forward. He and Mythra ran to either side of Malos while Minoth unleashed a barrage of shots at his head. Malos blocked them with a second ether shield just as Addam swung his sword at his head. Malos blocked the swing with his own sword. The two held like that for a moment.

“Golden eyes.” Malos observed. “So the heir of Torna’s a bastard? That’s rich.”

“You’re the only one who seems to care.” Addam grunted. He slid his sword past Malos and ducked to the side to avoid his strike. He brought his sword up into Malos’s stomach a moment later. Malos caught the blade, and instantly Addam jumped up, kneeing him in the temple.

“Looks like that resonance isn’t just for show.” He grinned, staggering back. Rather than go for another strike, Addam backed up a step. Mythra swung at Malos from behind, and he blocked the strike. He tried whirling around and swiping a mass of dark ether through her, but she was gone before his attack connected. She disappeared in a shower of golden light and reappeared behind him an instant later. She struck him in the back and knocked him forward, toward Minoth and the others.

“Neat trick.” Malos spat as he stood to his feet. “Holds my interest, at least.”

“You talk too much.” Lora said. She nodded to Haze, and the Blade lifted her staff into the air. Waves of ether began to coil around Malos’s core, and he collapsed.

“Not this again.” He said, seemingly unconcerned with the situation. Aegaeon and Jin rushed forward to impale him while he was immobile. His body began sparking with bolts of dark ether, and he expelled a wave of it out. It destroyed the ether Haze was using to bind him and cracked her staff.

A cascade of ice fell around him as Jin and Aegaeon backed up, throwing out elemental attacks to keep him at a distance. When he struck them aside, Brighid’s whips caught one of his arms and wrenched it to the ground. Mythra appeared behind him again, forcing him to lunge toward Brighid. Right into a barrage from Minoth. Hugo struck him in the face with his shield before he could recover, and Brighid drove her sword through his arm. Lora grabbed his other arm with her rope, and the two pulled taut. He dissolved in a shower of dark ether before Jin and Mythra could follow up.

The group scattered as he appeared above them, driving his fist into the center of the courtyard. An explosion rippled out from where he struck, knocking everyone off their feet. He strode forward, sword resting across his shoulder, and called down a pair of Gargoyles. They landed on either side of him as he reached the tower’s base.

“Watch humans closely and you’ll learn one thing.” He said, smirking as he watched them stagger to their feet. “Deep down they wish they were dead. They kill each other like they swat flies, running toward oblivion like blind rats. They see the divine flame of life and piss over it. They’re genius at that, in a class all their own. That flame is wasted on them. So I want to give them a little push in the right direction. As the benevolent servant of-” A bolt of golden light struck one of the Gargoyles, vaporizing its core and detonating it.

“You dropped your shield.” Mythra said. Just before she could fire another blast, the second Gargoyle took to the air. Malos jumped and grabbed onto its foot. As he did, more began to land around the battlefield.

“Keep yourselves entertained!” He shouted, soaring up toward the top of the tower. “I’ll go get what I came for!”

Mythra began striking the Artifices down as they landed, but one moved too close to the group for her to risk a shot.

“Incoming!” She shouted, floating up and aiming to strike it with a blast from her sword. A horn speared through its chest before she could, destroying its core. Azurda shook it aside and landed, offering a wing to the group.

“Nuncle!” Addam shouted, sheathing his sword and running up Azurda’s wing. Jin and Lora followed him up.

“Get on!” The Titan replied. “We’ll hunt him down!”

“Someone’s got to deal with these things!” Minoth shouted, firing a barrage at another Gargoyle as it descended. “You guys just go!” Hugo and his Blades didn’t move, instead forming ranks around Haze while she repaired her staff.

Azurda and Mythra took to the skies, the latter floating on a stream of golden ether beside the former. Malos’s Siren began firing blasts down at them, which they narrowly avoided. Mythra stopped for a moment and locked eyes on it, high above the battlefield. She sent her own Siren to distract it and continued moving. They reached the top of the tower just as Malos pulled the core out of the sealing mechanism. A small, glowing crystalline orb.

“Too slow!” He shouted, laughing. “You should see your faces! But, in exchange for keeping me entertained a little, I’ll postpone the end of the world! If you want to take this off me, come find me in the Titan’s core!”

“Is this a game to you?!” Lora shouted.

“Think of it as a cure for the tedium of being!” Malos tossed the crystal into the air and caught it again. Mythra fired a blast of light at him as she landed on the tower’s lip, but he jumped off the edge to avoid it. “See ya later, partner!” He gave a mock salute as he fell. Azurda fell after him, aiming to impale him on his horn. A Gargoyle snatched him up before the Titan could reach him, carrying him over the city walls. Blasts from Mythra’s Siren tried to knock him out of the sky, and blasts from Malos’s fired at her in turn.

“Don’t be late!” Malos shouted back at them as he disappeared. A moment later, his Gargoyles began to retreat, pulling back from fighting the militia and the Ardainian military. As the blasts from the Siren units died down, Azurda landed back with the others.

“Sorry.” Azurda said, letting his wing down to let his passengers off. “I let him escape.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” Hugo said. “You arrived just in the nick of time. We owe you.”

“A favor from the Ardainian throne.” Azurda let slip a thin smile. “Perhaps I’ll collect when this is all over.” He turned to Jin. “I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk at Candoris, Jin. It’s good to see you’re doing well.”

“You know me?” He asked.

“You and Ornelia used to ride on my back. We used to have a lark, flying about. Though I guess you wouldn’t remember now.”

“Look at you.” Lora said. “Quite the celebrity.”

“I suppose she’s your Driver now?” Azurda asked.

“My name’s Lora. And this,” She stepped back as Haze approached, staff in hand, “Is Haze.”

“We’ll do introductions later.” Addam said. “Nuncle, we need to find Malos before he attacks again. Do me a favor and check for the Tornan Womb, just in case?”

“Are you not coming? Malos issued his challenge to you all, not to me.”

“We’ll join you once we’ve made our report.” Addam frowned. “The king will no doubt want to know what happened.”

-

“What good was your militia?” Zettar shrieked. Addam’s brow was set in a heavy line as the High Prince berated him. The others, including the king, sat in silence. “They could not halt Malos, nor safeguard the seal! This is a deep dishonor.”

“Thirteen Drivers died defending this city.” Mythra spat back. “And at least as many Blades. Have you no respect for their sacrifice?”

“We have a duty to uphold this kingdom! Majesty! I beseech you lay them low, that the people may have faith in government!” Zettar looked to the king. He didn’t reply. “Majesty!”

“Your advice is wise.” The king sighed.

“The members of Addam’s militia die in service to your realm, and this is how you treat them?” Lora asked. “What kind of-”

“Silence!” Zettar shouted. “Is your voice more important than the king’s?”

“Our people should indeed have faith in government.” The king said. “So then, brother, in the hour of need where was our army? Certainly not attempting to stop Malos.”

“W-we set the defense of the people as our highest goal, Your Majesty.” Zettar said. “We guided the townsfolk to safety.”

“While Addam’s militia flew, though rashly into the breach. And noble Hugo’s dragoons wagered their lives as mere trifles for our kingdom. If honor took its natural course, the sons of Torna should have stood their ground.”

“Those are bitter words, your Majesty. The battle was beyond our ken. It was no mere human struggle. You saw it with your own eyes.”

“Our army would have been doubly doomed against Malos, then.” The king stood. “Though Addam may have sailed the ship into a rocky reef, we daresay the outcome was unavoidable. Our kingdom hangs over doom like a ripened fruit, but do not forget grace and gratitude in your haste, brother.” He turned to face Hugo and Addam. “You and yours are our final ray of hope. Will you offer us aid again, to avenge ourselves on the Aegis?” He bowed. Lips curled into a sneer, Zettar did the same.

“We came with that very intention, Your Majesty.” Hugo replied.

“Majesty.” Addam said. “If it must be so, I will expend my life for the future of the land of my forebears.”

“Let us pray it never comes to that.” The king said. “After the death of our sister, we do not wish to lose another of our family to this cataclysm.”

“We are rarely given a choice. Lillith died with honor, I am told. In a war such as this, that’s the only mercy soldiers like us are afforded.”

“This isn’t a war.” Lora said, more to herself than anyone else.

“And you are?” The king asked. “Your skills impressed us deeply, yet you bear no peerage.”

“My name is Lora.” She replied. “I’m from a settlement in the distant borderlands. I serve with a mercenary band.”

“We knew you for a warrior.” The king smiled. “And one with a heart, it would seem. Good Lora, we would like to recognize your valiant labors. The title of knight of the realm is yours, if you would accept it.”

“Me, a knight?”

“My congratulations.” Hugo said, beaming. “I hope this will raise your spirits a little.”

“I can hardly believe it…” She looked over at Jin, trying his best not to draw attention to his mask. He smiled back at her.

“Humble Lora.” The king said. “We have a request we must make of you. This day, the people of our kingdom shiver in the darkest of shadows, cast by the Aegis Malos. We bid that you shine a ray of hope on this shadow-mired land.”

“I…” She looked at the others, and they nodded. “I will, Your Majesty.”

“Well spoken, Brave Lora!” The king smiled. “We shall anoint thee as Lady Lora in the plaza before the palace!”

-

Zettar and Amalthus looked on as Addam pinned a medal on Lora’s chest. The crowd erupted into cheers as the king announced her anointment as a knight. She looked to Jin and Haze and smiled as Addam began giving a speech. From the back of the procession, Amalthus and Zettar watched the proceedings.

“Addam’s star is rising.” The Quaestor said. “It seems that the people love him.”

“Naught but the fruit of the king’s whimsy and an obscure woman.” Zettar scoffed. “If only he were not the Driver of that Aegis…”

“You’d each have your just share of dignity? Or do you mean to tell me you’re jealous? It’s not healthy to covet such things, High Prince. Especially after you failed at it yourself.”

“I don’t want to hear those words from the Driver of Malos.” Zettar spat.

“I gave him life.” Amalthus shrugged. “But when he acts, it is not by my orders. It is simply divine will.”

“The destruction of the world is the will of the divine?”

“That, I cannot say.” Amalthus let slip a laugh. “Malos is the instrument of destruction, but making the Architect’s will immanent takes many able hands. We will not know the form it takes until the task is done.”

-

Lora and Jin sat in a room in a nearby inn, taking a break from the post-ceremony celebrations. Addam had decided to give the militia a few hours to unwind before resuming the search for Malos. The others were still enjoying the festivities, but they’d broken away. It was all too much for her. Jin was keeping her company, reading over the diary he’d found in Ornelia’s house. He still wore his mask.

“You don’t need that anymore, you know.” She said. He put the journal down and turned around. “The mask, I mean. I’m a knight of Torna now, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I know. But I think I’ll keep wearing it. You went to all the trouble of making it for me, it’d be a shame for that to go to waste.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.” She sighed. “I mean, someday I’ll die, right? And just like that, you’ll return to your crystal. But even when you forget everybody, at least you might be able to keep the mask.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“Don’t worry. That day’s still a long way off.”

“Right.” He turned back to the diary. He’d been reading the same passage over and over, trying to make sense of it. The last passage.

_This long war for independence will soon come to an end. But it is not only the war that will soon be over. Her life, too, is about to end. And when she meets her end, so too will I. Unsullied by her death, I will merely return to my core. To await my eventual reawakening. I will sleep, as at the end of any other day. When I awake, will I be the same person as before? If the Architect does indeed exist, I wish I could ask him: Who am I truly? Whence did I come? Whither am I headed? _ _If I were a praying man, I’d pray this journal makes its way to you. Trusting that it will, I’ll use these last words to pass down a means of carving the bond between myself and my partner into this flesh. This is how it is done. First, you must-_

“This sucks!” Milton shouted from across the hall, breaking Jin’s concentration. He and Lora stood to investigate. “House sitting in the capital? I wanna go with you!” He had tears in his eyes as he shouted at Addam.

“Here we go…” Mikhail sighed.

“The battle ahead is unlike any we’ve known before.” Addam protested. “Please remember that.”

“Mythra, can’t you tell him?” Milton asked. “I promise you we won’t get in the way!”

“You’d do exactly that.” She replied. “At best, you’d be a distraction, and at worst a liability.”

“One way to put it.” Mikhail muttered. Milton began crying.

“Protecting you from Malos would take all my energy.” She bent down next to him. “But if you stay here and keep Mikhail out of trouble, we’ll be able to fight the way we should.”

“I don’t need you to-” Mikhail began arguing. One cold gaze from Mythra over Milton’s shoulder shut him up.

“You understand, right?” Mythra asked. “This is the best thing you can do to help Addam right now.”

“Then make me a promise.” He said, sniffling. “You’ll kill Malos and bring Addam back alive, no matter what.”

“I promise.” She smiled. He nodded and stepped back. Lora and some of the others that had been waiting outside took that as a cue to enter the room. Jin went back to the journal.

“Are we mobilizing?” Aegaeon asked.

“Malos said he was heading for Torna’s core.” Addam said. “In the original configuration, the core was in the Titan’s thorax.”

“But the Titan hasn’t shown signs of transforming yet.” Hugo said.

“You think the Aegis is taking a nap or something?” Minoth asked.

“That would be fortunate for us.” Addam said. “The core hasn’t appeared in the mountain range on the Titan’s thorax yet, so we’ve still got some time. But it’s not his only potential target. I sent Azurda to check out the Titan’s womb, just in case. We should go collect him before we make a move for the core. We’ll leave as soon as I give out orders to the militia.”

Mythra wandered out of the room as the discussion continued. She passed a few militia soldiers she recognized making their way to Addam before she noticed Jin sitting alone with the journal. He’d found an inkwell and was writing something in it.

“Surprisingly diligent.” She said, taking a seat across from him.

“You need some help?” He asked, not looking up from his writing.

“Just killing time.” She shrugged. “We’re heading out soon.”

“If you want to talk, I’m not sure I’m your guy.”

“Suits me fine.” She glanced down at his work. “Keeping a journal, huh? Brighid’s into it too. Is that like, a thing now?”

“Who knows.” He sighed, setting the pen down and looking up at Mythra. “I am what I am, and so is she.”

“You know when your Drivers dies, you’ll return to your core. It feels kinda futile.”

“There’s nothing strange about wanting to know who you used to be, once you reawaken.”

“You can’t be sure you’ll even find it though, right?”

“Nothing’s for certain, but it’s some hope at least. That’s a Blade’s lot.”

“But what’s the point in knowing?”

“To keep the bond with your Driver alive, I guess.” He shrugged. “Though that might be a little difficult for you to understand.”

“Hey, don’t be mean.” She crossed her arms. “You make it sound like I have no heart.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just… You’re not like the rest of us.”

“Addam’s my Driver, just like Lora is yours.”

“Is he?” Jin asked. “I’m not so sure it’s the same. Call it a Blade’s intuition, but I don’t think you’ve got a Driver at all.”

“Lady Mythra.” Haze said, knocking on the doorframe. “Jin. I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’re heading out.”

-

They stepped off the elevator and into a large domed structure deep within Torna’s body. The entrance was sequestered behind the palace, but the guards hadn’t stopped them. The structure itself was a large Tornan machine set into the Titan’s body. At the far end was an altar beneath a mural of Titans forming out of the backs of a pair of Blades. In the center, where Azurda waited, was a lowered area full of green pods. Inside were half-formed Blades.

“You called this Torna’s womb?” Lora asked. “I was never a believer, but… This is sacred ground, isn’t it? The place where Blades are born?”

“Precisely.” Azurda said. “And where they inevitably return to be reborn as Titans.”

“Blades becoming Titans…” Brighid muttered. “Do you mean to tell me we’ll all become Titans someday?”

“Eventually.” Azurda nodded. “I must say, it’s nice to be here again. And it’s nice to see that the Artifices didn’t reach this place. If we manage to save Torna, her children may yet live on.”

“Were you born here too, Azurda?” Haze asked.

“I was born from Torna many, many centuries ago. Of course, I don’t have any memories of that time.” He turned to look at the mural on the wall. “Once a Blade becomes a Titan, they can live without being bound to the Driver who awoke them. One day, they may come to watch over their children as the very ground beneath their feet.”

“And the fleeting bonds become eternal.” Addam said. “The basis of the Tornan creed.”

“Not to be rude.” Hugo said. “But what now? We’ve ensured the womb isn’t a target, which means he’ll be going after the core soon.”

“Malos did say he was going to wait.” Brighid said.

“We can’t honestly believe him.” Aegaeon said. “Can we?”

“I don’t think he lied.” Mythra replied.

“Why so?”

“He was enjoying himself, that’s why. I’d say he’s having way too much fun to stop right now. And that means he’ll at least hold off on attacking the core until we arrive.”

“He said humans long for death, right?” Minoth asked. “And that he was happy to oblige. I don’t think we should stake too much on his generosity.”

“You’re right.” Addam said. “We should get moving. Azurda, would you mind carrying us to the core?”

“Not at all.” He replied as the others began loading onto the elevator. Jin didn’t move, however. He continued to stare at the Blades in their pods.

“You coming?” Azurda asked.

“Do you think this is what they wanted? To become Titans, and have a longer life with humans?”

“You said that last time too.” Azurda chuckled, nudging Jin toward the lift.

“I did?”

“My reply was ‘how about you?’. And what do you think you said.”

“I think…” He glanced at Lora. “I don’t wish for “forever”. All I want is my life with her. That’s plenty.”

“Spoken like a true Blade. No one can begrudge you that. And I suppose I may have been just like you, once. But being like this isn’t so bad either. After some years, or centuries, you find yourself ready for new relationships.”

“Having fun over there?” Lora asked as Addam started up the elevator. Before either of them could reply, the walls began to shake. Some part of the Titan moved, and a cry rumbled through its depths.

-

Malos stood on a platform at the base of the Titan’s neck. A metal construct had been imbedded in the hide at the base of a seam running up its back. In the center of that construct was a hole. He placed the crystal from the tower in it, and the seam above him cracked open. Two flaps of the Titan’s hide lifted, revealing a large glowing spot underneath. The Titan’s core.

As the core opened, other parts of the Titan began to move. The wings, previously folded in near its sides, began to unfurl. Several sets, each lined with further wings of pure orange ether. Its tail rose up behind the capital. And slowly, the Titan’s neck uncoiled, dragging its head up from beneath the Cloud Sea. Its eyes opened for the first time in centuries, and it let out a cry that echoed across the continent.

-

Azurda tore out of the elevator’s shaft, taking to the skies above the capital. An alarm began blaring, and people in the streets below rushed to the port where the Ardainian and Tornan fleets were docked. Addam and the others clung to his back as he soared toward the core.

“So this is the Tornan Titan’s true form.” Jin said.

“So much for waiting.” Addam said.

“He still hasn’t called his Artifices.” Haze noted. “He’s waiting.”

“Why do this?” Hugo asked. “What is his aim? Can it just be carnage for its own sake?”

“No idea!” Mythra said, shouting over the wind. She flew alongside Azurda, keeping level with the others on his back. “I’d love to give you some Aegis-based insight, but our power seems to be the only thing we have in common!”

“Could it be a reflection of something deep within Quaestor Amalthus’s mind?”

“Let’s hope not!” Mythra shouted back, beginning to fly ahead of Azurda. “Otherwise we’ll have to start worrying about the Quaestor as well!”

-

Mythra landed in front of the core, sword at the ready. Malos stood on the machinery, running his hand along the base of the glowing hide. He jumped down and manifested his own sword as Azurda landed.

“You got here fast.” He smirked. “I thought you’d jump ship with the rest of the rats.”

“Nobody here is scared of you.” Mythra snarled.

“So you say.” He shrugged. Over his shoulder, lights emerged on the horizon. A swarm of Gargoyles. They passed over the capital, ignoring attacks from the militia and the Ardainian military. They headed straight for the core.

“Azurda, get the others.” Addam said. “We might have to make a stand here.”

“I’m giving you ten minutes.” Malos said, just before Azurda took off again. “Before I detonate my Gargoyles in this Titan’s core. If you start running for help, though, I can always cut that timer down.”

“Part of your game?” Mythra asked.

“Exactly. If you can stop me in that amount of time, then you win. If you can’t, well…” He smirked. “End of story.”

He shot forward and slammed his sword against Mythra’s, forcing her to take a step back. Two spikes of ice shot up from beneath him and he jumped, landing with a foot in each tip. One of them detonated, and he rolled with the blast, carrying him over to Minoth. The man drew his daggers as Malos swung at him, blocking the strike. The sword slid through his daggers like an oar through water, and he rolled aside. He fired a blast of dark ether at Malos’s head as he did, knocking the Aegis back. Lora drove Haze’s staff into his chest as he tried to spring up, momentarily pinning him. Addam and Hugo both attempted to skewer his core in that brief span of time, but he was too fast. A blast of ether threw Lora off him, and he swung up at Hugo.

The Ardainian blocked the strike with his shield, and Brighid struck Malos from the side with her whips. He lunged toward her, and Mythra hit him with a blast from her sword, driving him back into the mechanism beneath the core. Jin and Aegaeon began encasing him in ice, starting with his hands. He tore his way out, only to meet a vortex conjured by Haze. It stalled his momentum, allowing Mythra to get off another shot at him.

His sword scraped the ground as he flew back, and a wave of dark ether erupted at Haze. Lora tackled her aside, ending her vortex. The wave curved to follow them, but Minoth stopped it with a shot from his remaining pistol. Malos shot up and slammed his sword into Minoth’s head, knocking him to the ground. He still got back up, bleeding from one eye, and managed to block Malos’s follow up strike for a moment. Hugo slammed his shield into the Aegis, driving him back. Mythra shot him from above, and he blocked the shot with an ether shield. Addam and Aegaeon struck his chest. He swung at them, and they ducked under the attack.

Azurda slammed into Malos from behind, knocking him aside. Jin and Brighid pressed the attack as Mythra lined up another shot. Before she could fire, a pair of Gargoyles landed at the base of the core.

“Azurda!” She shouted, not taking her eyes of Malos. “Get them!” Blasts from Siren began cutting through Gargoyles further afield, and Azurda rushed forward to deal with the new arrivals. He drove his horn through the core of one, but the other managed to clamber up onto the core. Its core pressed against the Titan’s, and it began to dissolve. That spot on the Titan’s core turned a shade darker.

“What happened to ten minutes?” Addam grunted, driving his sword forward at Malos’s core.

“I said ten minutes until detonation.” Malos smirked, parrying the attack. Brighid and Jin threw elemental attacks at him to keep him from capitalizing on the opening. “But it helps to have a reminder of your time limit, doesn’t it?” More Gargoyles began approaching, and Azurda took off to deal with them. He weaved between blasts as Siren’s suppressing fire stopped. Malos’s Siren had found Mythra’s, and the two began fighting overhead.

Malos fired a blast of dark ether at Mythra, forcing her to land to avoid the hit. He rushed forward and swung at her. Lora struck him in the face from the side with Haze’s staff, and Jin pelted his back with shards of ice. He grabbed the staff and tried to shatter it, but Mythra moved quicker. She teleported above him and drove her sword down on top of him. He jumped forward at Lora, out of the way of the strike, and Aegeaon caught him with an eruption of ice from one of the walls. Lora struck him back toward the center of the group with a blast of wind and tossed the staff to Haze. She began trying to restrict his movements, to little effect. His swing was, however, slightly slowed.

Minoth took advantage of that to plant his dagger in Malos’s armpit and fire. The blast only scratched his armor, but it did catch his attention. He tried to cut Minoth in half, but his blade couldn’t eat through his side.

“You’re not a Blade?” Malos wondered aloud. Minoth smirked and drove his knee into Malos’s gut. The latter staggered back, allowing Brighid to take a swing at him. She severed his heels, and he whirled around. He caught her head and drove her into the ground. Aegaeon and Minoth both struck him back before he could finish her off. Hugo slammed into his back, driving him into a clear spot. Mythra fired at him. He blocked it, allowing Jin to pepper him with more ice shards.

“That swarm is getting closer.” Addam said, drawing back below Mythra as Jin, Lora, and Minoth engaged Malos. He glanced back up at the core to see more Gargoyles dissolving into it, almost turning the whole thing a shade of purple. Azurda flew further afield, knocking them down, and he could see some members of the militia fighting their way to the core through the forests below.

“I know.” Mythra said. “I’ll handle it.” She dropped down at swung at Malos as he aimed a punch for Minoth. He blocked the strike and pushed forward, stopping her momentum but giving Minoth time to scramble away and continue firing. Malos barely noticed the attacks.

“What’s wrong?” Malos smirked. “That all you got?” He drove Mythra’s sword to one side and swung up at her. She dodged the strike and jumped, kicking him in the chin.

“Oh, I’ve got plenty.” She spat back. “And I think it’s about time I smash your toys!” Her Core Crystal glowed, and Ophion leapt out of the Cloud Sea beside Torna. Its mouth opened and fired a laser through the oncoming horde of Gargoyles, destroying dozens on contact. Missiles spewed forth next, thinning the swarm further as it lunged forward.

“Nice. That’s my partner.” Malos stared at Ophion for a moment. “Shame you only have one.” More Gargoyles shot out of the Cloud Sea, and they began to surround Ophion. Instead of trying to fire at it, they just rammed against it, detonating on impact. Ophion thrashed around, firing more lasers. More of the swarm closed in around it. More detonations. Just as it finished clearing the Gargoyles around it, a bolt from Malos’s Siren struck it in the neck. Ophion crumpled, sinking beneath the Cloud Sea.

“Ophion!” Mythra shouted. She was distracted for a moment as Malos rushed forward.

“Focus!” Jin shouted, blocking his strike. Ice along his blade slowed Malos’s ether, preventing it from eating through. The two locked eyes as everyone fanned out again.

“Got something to say?” Malos asked. He tried to push Jin’s sword aside, and Jin threw a field of shards at him from behind.

“Why the damned bloodlust?” Jin asked.

“I’ve told you before.” Malos said, blocked the shards with an ether shield. “The humans built the bonfire.” He swung at Jin’s feet. “All I did was help them light it!”

“That’s just sophistry!” Jin shouted back, jumping over the strike. Malos rolled forward and avoided his attack. The two stood to their feet and began circling each other.

“Is it? Are you a Blade or not? You know it as well as I do. Not all humans are like your precious Driver!” He motioned toward Lora. Jin instinctively moved to protect her, and Malos swung at him from the side. Mythra struck him with a blast, knocking him back from Jin.

“Malos!” She shouted. She began floating again, and her Siren broke from its fight with Malos’s to join her. It took aim at Malos.

“We’re finally getting serious!” Malos grinned. His Siren slammed into Mythra’s before it could fire at him. The two Artifices began spiraling through the air, ether shields clashing. Mythra continued to fire blasts at Malos while she worked to find an opening with Siren. The others began to hang back, except for Addam. He took Mythra’s sword and rushed Malos while she focused on Siren. Malos dodged around his strikes but didn’t have the focus to return them.

“Good!” He cackled. “But I know you’ve got more! Stop holding out on me, Mythra!” His Siren drew a pair of lances from its back and rushed Mythra’s. Hers unfolded a sword from its leg and met the attack. They chased each other throughout the skies around Torna, firing blasts from their weapons and clashing occasionally.

Malos’s Siren hooked its lances into a rig on its waist as it backed up against Torna’s neck. It fired a bolt that struck Mythra’s Siren’s ether shielding. It rolled to the side, and a Gargoyle unit struck it into one of Torna’s wings.

“Can’t do it?” Malos asked. “Very well. I’ll bring it out of you!” His Siren turned and fired a steam of energy through the streets of the capital.

“MILTON‼” Mythra screamed, clutching her head. Her Core Crystal began glowing brighter than it had before. Her Siren shot forth and struck Malos’s into Torna’s neck, cutting off the bolt before it could tear through the rest of the fleeing Titan ships. A vortex of ether poured out from Mythra, and her entire body began glowing. Her sword began sparking energy, and that energy struck Addam.

“Mythra!” He shouted, collapsing to his kneed. In his hands, its form changed to a clear-green sword. Malos’s grin widened as it flew into Mythra’s hands. Her eyes locked on Malos, hazy but focused enough.

“Show me what you got, Mythra!” He shouted, his form glowing with dark ether. “Do it! Make me proud!” He rushed forward. In an instant, she was behind him. She struck him into the ground with one swing. He blocked it, but his sword began to crack under the pressure. He struck out to the side and jumped, soaring into the air. She followed him, and the two collided off each other’s attacks just like their Artifices. Slowly, the two pairs aligned, and they floated back into their respective Sirens.

They collided above the core, sending out shockwaves that rippled across the Titan. Jin, Aegaeon, and Minoth all threw up ether shields, encasing everyone by the Core in multiple layers. They all were shattered by the oncoming blast.

“Mythra!” Addam shouted, getting back to his feet. “Stop! You can’t!”

“What’s happening?” Lora asked, looking around. The Gargoyle’s began floating up to join the clash.

“This is a battle between the Aegises.” Hugo said. “It’s out of our hands now.”

Mythra fired a bolt at Malos, breaking the stalemate. As he ducked to avoid it, she spun around, annihilating most of his remaining Gargoyles in an instant. He shot up from below, firing bolt after bolt of energy at her. She dodged around them, returning that fire. They closed in on each other, and Mythra grabbed Malos’s arm. She spun around and threw him into the side of Torna’s neck. A scream tore out from her core, where her real body was stored, and she fired a bolt at Malos.

He barely moved in time to avoid it. It followed him, cutting across Torna’s landscape and carving deep scars in the Titan’s hide. The remaining Gargoyles rushed her while she was stopped. She began emitting a large field of pure ether, high density enough that it melted the Gargoyles before they could reach her. It expanded as she resumed chasing Malos, beginning to glass the surface of the Titan below.

“Perfect!” Malos shouted, cackling. “Burn it all! That’s the power our father gave us! It’s what the world has cried for since its birth! Me… You… We’re here to give them what they want!” He rushed forward as her blast subsided, colliding into her.

“You’re wrong.” She muttered. Their ether fields began colliding.

“Really? Then what is it you’re doing here, exactly?”

“I just… I just wanted to save…” From inside the cockpit, a tear rolled down her check. Her ether field detonated, breaking Malos’s shield. It shot forth as thousands of small projectiles, needling both him and Torna. They rained down on every inch of the Titan, including the capital, melting everything they touched. They also struck Malos, covering both the Titan and his Siren in a wave of molten plasma.

“MYTHRA!” He shouted, his Artifice slowly melting around him. He threw itself at Mythra, and the two collided in midair. Mythra struck Malos into Torna’s side with a scream, sending another barrage of ether out across the Titan. As she did, her Core Crystal and Malos’s exchanged a brief pulse of ether. In that instant, they both felt something stir far above their heads. Something far more powerful than either of their Sirens. Before Malos could move, a column of pure white ether pierced the sky and washed over his Artifice.

His Siren fell from the sky as the ether column melted it to sludge. He too began to burn up as it plummeted beneath the Cloud Sea. Even as he fell out of it, however, the column didn’t stop. It tore through Torna’s core, detonating it in an instant. The Blades on the ground tried to throw up ether shields, but none of them were fast enough to cover Addam. Hugo planted his shield and met the oncoming rush of energy as it engulfed everything. Torna let out one last cry as the ether beam finally subsided. Its eyes went dark and it began to sink beneath the waves.

-

From his perch atop the palace, the Tornan king watched his kingdom’s Titan die. The capital burned beneath him as the Cloud Sea crept up to swallow the survivors. Ardainian dragoons and Indoline monks were assisting the Tornan forces in rounding up everyone who was left, but they had only half the fleet they had arrived with.

“Our kingdom…” The king muttered. “Our people…”

“Brother!” Zettar shouted, one foot through the door. “We must flee before we lose the ground beneath our feet.” The king didn’t move. “Did you heed me, brother? Brother?!”

The king turned to face Zettar. He gave no reply, save a shake of his head. Zettar didn’t hesitate a moment longer. He was gone before the king could turn back around.

“Addam.” He continued to mutter, watching as his palace crumbled. “We commend our people to you…”

-

Lora struggled to her feet amidst the smoke surrounding Torna’s core.

“Jin?” She asked, looking around. “Haze? Where is-” She stopped as she heard crying. She ran toward it to find Addam hunched over Hugo’s body, sobbing and cradling his head in his arms. Brighid and Aegaeon’s cores lay dormant next to them. She ran forward, but Jin grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. He, Haze, and Minoth stood behind her as the dust began to clear. He simply shook his head.

Above them, Siren began to descend. Addam laid Hugo’s body down and wiped his tears away as Mythra floated out from its core. She touched down in front of him and collapsed into his arms unconscious. Silently, Siren returned to the sky as the Titan continued to sink. The ground shook as its body broke in half, and everyone lost their footing. Above them, one of the Ardainian battleships approached, its deck crowded with refugees.

-

Lora handed Brighid and Aegaeon’s cores to the Special Inquisitor as more soldiers carried Hugo’s body up the gangplank. He nodded to her, utterly silent, and joined his men in carrying the Emperor’s body. She watched his for a moment before breaking down into tears. She collapsed into Jin’s arms, and the two just stood and cried. Haze, likewise, began sobbing. Minoth wrapped an arm around her, looking out across the Cloud Sea as Torna sank. They all watched, unable to muster the will to look away. Mythra especially wouldn’t take her eyes off it. Until she heard Lora shout.

“Mikhail!” She screamed. Mythra turned to see Lora run across the deck. Mikhail sat on his knees, cradling Milton’s body in his arms. They were both covered in burns. Mikhail was rocking back and forth slowly.

Mythra stumbled toward them, reaching out a hand toward Milton. She sank to her knees beside them and tried to touch his face. Mikhail pulled him away very suddenly. He looked up at her, angry. He didn’t say anything, but his stare was enough to let Mythra know. Malos’s blast hadn’t killed Milton. Hers had.

“No…” She muttered, almost falling back in shock. “No no no no no no NO!” She hunched over and clutched her head. Her whole body began glowing, and she threw off waves of ether. Addam tried to reach out to her, but the air around her was too hot for him to approach. He just watched as she began floating. Slowly, she broke down her own body and rebuilt it. When she finally stopped, she wasn’t Mythra anymore.

-

Several days later, the ship was moored off the coast of the Leftherian Territory. Addam stood on the deck of the ship, readying one of the lifeboats with an Ardainian soldier. Some of the refugees had already disembarked. Azurda was helping ferry people to the islands, but Addam had wanted to take a boat. Lora, Jin, Haze, and Mikhail approached him as he worked.

“You’re really leaving?” Lora asked.

“Yes. I need to seal this thing.” He motioned to the sword on his back, wrapped up tight in a cloth tarp. “And these refugees will need someone to help them get settled.”

“They aren’t the only ones, you know.” Jin said. “Minoth could use some help in Uraya, Zettar’s still trying to get things sorted in Genbu, and I hear the rest of the militia went to Spessia chasing Malos’s last Artifices.”

“Is that where you’re going then?”

“We can’t abandon them.” Lora said. “Even without the Aegis, someone needs to put those things down.”

“Give them a message for me then, would you? Tell them that they’re welcome to join me in Leftheria after they’re done.”

“Of course.” Lora said. “Leave it to us.”

“Then I guess this is goodbye.” Addam said, stepping into the boat. Pyra was already onboard. She gave everyone a small goodbye as Addam and the soldier lowered them into the water. He gave one last salute as the boat sailed for the Leftherian coast.

-

Amalthus and the Praetor clinked glasses across his desk. The old man leaned back in his chair and took a long drink of the wine.

“I must confess, Quaestor, that I had my doubts about the Aegis.” He laughed. He took another drink. “But she proved up to the task. Malos has been defeated, and the Architect’s will has been returned to its rightful place in the people’s hearts. All it cost us was a Titan or two.”

“Yes.” The Quaestor smiled, tossing his drink aside. “The Architect’s will has been done.” He waited for a moment for the poison to take hold. The Praetor began foaming at the mouth, and his eyes rolled back in his skull. He collapsed over his desk. Amalthus slid his miter from his head and placed it on his own.

“All hail the Praetor.” Adenine said, dropping down from the ceiling. “Magister Baltrich is dead too, in case you were wondering. Your appointment is pretty much guaranteed.”

“I didn’t awaken you to tell me what I already know.” Amalthus said. “You are Adenine the Seeker for a reason. What did you learn?”

“Rather juicy information.” She smiled. An image projected out from her Core Crystal. A helical object made of many smaller shapes bound together. Amalthus watched with detached amusement as the projection played out, forming a network that changed and grew. Eventually, it formed a Core Crystal.

“And that was?”

“The process.” Adenine said. “Blade Cores store information about life. Encode their experiences in a vast network of connections. And eventually…” The projection expanded, and the core broke down. It reformed a moment later as Indol. “They form Titans. The Tornan religion is based on this process.”

“I’m aware.” Amalthus sighed. “It isn’t exactly common knowledge, but it’s no secret. Not to the Praetorium.”

“Yeah, but here’s where things get interesting. I found data in Malos’s Artifices that suggest the process is reversable.” The projection switched to an image of Haze.

“I know this Blade.” Amalthus muttered. “She was travelling with the young knight in Addam’s entourage.”

“She’s an anomaly, of sorts. Her power isn’t something Blades were designed to develop, but it was well documented in the Artifices’ databases. On paper, she restricts Blades, but the underlying process actually adjusts their core parameters. Theoretically, she could apply the ability however she wants. Wipe the slate clean, if you will. With her power, you could reformat a Blade, resetting its information and preventing it from becoming a Titan. If you could scale that, you’d be able to halt the whole process in its tracks.”

“So I’ll need to get my hands on this Blade, then. Can you send the prototype?”

“It won’t be enough.”

“We’ll need combat data for the project sooner or later. And it doesn’t need to kill them. Only slow them down.” He opened the door and signaled for the monks to drag the Praetor’s body away. “Once I’m confirmed as Praetor, they’ll have nowhere left to run.”

-

Jin awoke to the sound of footfalls echoing through the Spessian forest. Two days of searching, and they hadn’t managed to find the militia yet. But something had found them. He woke up Lora and Haze as it entered the clearing in front of them. They scrambled into position, weapons at the ready. They were expecting one of the few remaining Gargoyles that had been marauding around since Malos’s defeat. It wasn’t.

It was a hulking thing of sinew and bone. Hunched on all fours, it loped toward them at an unnatural speed. It was larger than any human but smaller than a Titan. Glowing red eyes sat in its skull, surrounded by pulsing muscle and large calcified plates. They locked on Lora as the thing came to a halt.

“Caught up with you at last.” A voice echoed out from the thing. It didn’t move its jaw to speak, however. “Lora.”

“What is that?” She asked, taking a step back and putting herself between it and Mikhail. “And how does it know my name?”

“It knows human speech too.” Jin said. “But it’s not a Blade.”

“I can feel a resonance somewhere in there, though.” Haze said. “More like a Titan than a Blade, but I can’t wrap my head around it.”

“Confused?” The thing asked. Its jaw fell open to reveal a face sewn into its mouth, connected to the rest of its body by a spiderweb of flesh.

“Gort!” Lora exclaimed. “Wha… What is this?”

“It hurt!” Gort’s face exclaimed. “Oh, the pain! I can still feel it where you cut my bloody arm off! It throbs and it throbs and it just _doesn’t stop_!”

“I can’t make sense of this.” Haze said.

“He’s lost his mind.” Jin said. “Nothing to make sense of.”

“I’m not sure.” Lora muttered. “He seems… ecstatic, for some reason.”

“Of course I am!” Gort howled. “I finally found you! I’ll use your blood as a balm for my wounds! How about it? Sounds fair, yeah? I’ll start with you, you Tornan Blade!” He raised a finger toward Jin, and a long bone claw extended from it. “I’m paying you back for cutting my arms off, you dog! I’ll have me arms back, and I think I deserve some interest! I’ll take your head as well!” He lowered the claw. “But first I’ll get your blood for my medicine. Then it’ll be your turn, Lora. It’s your meddling that did this to me, after all. You and your bitch mother! I knew I should have-” Lora rushed forward, grabbing Jin’s sword and putting it between his eyes. She sank it in to the hilt.

“I won’t let you insult my mother like that!” She spat.

“Hurts to hear the truth, does it?” Gort asked. He was still alive. He laughed and took a swipe at her with his claw. Haze blocked it with her staff.

“Don’t waste your breath.” Jin said, raising a cloud of ice shards around him. “We’re done talking.” He fired them into Gort’s side, ripping through some of the muscle. Haze drove him back with a blast of wind. He tried to lunge forward at Jin, but Haze’s ether caught him and stopped him in his tracks. A moment later, a dozen spikes of ice ripped up from the ground, tearing through his body.

“I knew he had a core in there somewhere.” Haze said. “Found it just in time too.”

“But I’m not… Done yet…” Gort hissed, trying to drag himself forward. Something inside him tore, and his muscles began bleeding. Slowly, he dissolved into black ether particles.

“Shameless to the very end.” Lora said. She looked up at the stars and shed a tear. “You can rest easy now, mother.”

“Somebody turned Gort into that horrible thing.” Jin said. “Somehow, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this.”

“You think they meant to kill us?” Haze asked.

“I don’t know.” Jin sighed. “But it’s clear that Malos’s death wasn’t enough to bring peace to the world.”

“As long as there are people, there will always be strife.” Haze said. “Is that what you mean?”

“Don’t say that.” Lora said. She walked over to Mikhail and put a hand on his head. She tussled his hair for a moment. “Things can change. There’s always hope.”

“Yes.” Jin said. “You’re right. As long as Blades and humans are bonded to each other.”

-

_In the course of a lifetime, a Blade will see uncountable meetings and partings. Yet, as my life’s candle sputters and dies, whose face will rise to greet me, of all those uncountable lives I have touched? Happy is the Blade who can sleep in the comfort of the smile they see then. No, I don’t wish for “forever”. Even just one more moment would be enough if it’s with her. I hope you can say the same about your Driver, Jin. Farewell._

-

“And what is the man to do who has not been afforded that chance?” Jin asked, muttering to himself has he recalled the end of the last passage he’d found in the journal. He looked up at the light above him, shrinking as he fell deeper into the Great Void. For a moment, just before the darkness took him entirely, he thought he could see Lora’s smile in that light. A smile he never thought he’d see again.


	10. Chapter 8 - World Tree

The first thing Mythra saw as she opened her eyes was Rex’s face staring down at her. She lay on the ground, her head propped up against his pack. He sat beside her.

“All in one piece?” He asked, tapping his Core Crystal. “Though I guess if you were injured, I’d be feeling it too.”

“Rex?” She asked, shaking her head slightly. It took her a moment to get her bearings. “No, I’m fine.” Slowly, she stood up, stretching her limbs as she did. They felt exceedingly sore.

“Back to your old self?” He asked, standing up and grabbing his pack. “I’ve gotta say, you had me worried there after you conked out. You’ve been asleep for a while.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s only natural, right? I mean, you’re my Blade, it’d be weird if I-”

“I mean for before. Back at the cliffs, I…” She turned away. “Thank you. For everything.”

“I don’t deserve it.” Rex said. “I abandoned you. I failed you. I know this doesn’t make up for that, but-”

“You came back, right? That’s what matters.”

“But I could have done more.”

“So could I. We can’t change the past, Rex. But we can move forward. And, for whatever it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. Wherever here is.” She looked out beyond the cliff they stood on. The landscape was covered in stone ruins, some stretching longer than even the tallest Titans. Great stone pillars broke the horizon. Some rose tall while others had collapsed under their own weight. A vortex surrounded the landscape. A storm, swirling with energy, stretched around and above the ruin like a firmament. In the distance, great roots collected beneath the center of that storm, rising high into the air through its eye.

“Under the Cloud Sea.” Rex said. “I think this is the place salvagers call the Land of Morytha. I don’t know where the others are, but we fell over there.” He motioned to a ruin nearby column of stone, stretching between two cliffs. There was a powerful gust of wind rushing up from the ravine below it. “That updraft’s probably what saved our lives. Hopefully it caught the others too.”

“Those things.” Mythra pointed to the roots rising in the distance. “Are those the World Tree’s roots?”

“Seems like it.” Rex shrugged. “It looks to be our only way out of here. Are you good to go? Or do we need to-”

“I’m fine.” Mythra began walking around the edge of the cliff, toward a collapsed pillar. The cliff continued beneath it, turning into a ravine between two box-shaped structures. “We should find the others.”

“And Pyra? How’s she?”

“Sleeping. Shall I call her?”

“No. Let her sleep. She’s been through a lot.”

“You’re too kind.”

As the two walked through the ruins, they began to notice details on the pillars. Spiraling structures and long, thin gaps marked the outsides of the shorter ones, while jagged, broken windows lined the thinner, taller ones. Some were connected with bridges, and the gaps between them were marked with regular, repeating patterns. The pillars themselves were hollow, though many of their interiors were filled with rubble and other detritus. As they walked, Rex caught Mythra up on everything she’d missed since her capture.

“You met Addam?” She asked.

“Sort of?” Rex shrugged. “It’s more like I have broken bits of memory about him. But he told me to fight for the things I want to protect. So I decided I was going to fight for you and Pyra. I mean, I’m still not good enough for you, but-”

“Stop saying that.” Mythra shook her head. “Pyra and I decided something too, when we transformed. We’re not going to live in fear anymore.”

“Glad to hear it. And speaking of that transformation… That was a hell of a thing you did, keeping up with Jin.”

“When we were fighting Jin, we wanted to match his speed. And it just… Happened. I think that might be our true power.”

“Anything else I should know about?”

“In that form the sword can control Artifices at will. So don’t get carried away, alright?”

“When have I ever?” Rex asked. Mythra frowned. “I’m kidding. I promise, I’ll be careful. So, another question. Which one of you is it, in that form?”

“Both. Or… Maybe neither? I’m not sure it’s a meaningful question.”

“So you’re… Pythra? Myra?”

“It doesn’t matter. Pyra, Mythra, they’re both me. Call me whichever.”

“But then if I pick one, it’s like I’m playing favorites.”

“Look, Pyra and I aren’t two different people. She’s me, and I’m her.”

“You say that, but you refer to her as a separate person most of the time.”

“It’s hard to explain…” Mythra sighed. “In the talk you two had, did Addam tell you why I created Pyra in the first place?”

“No.”

“There was a Gormotti kid he looked after. Milton. When he woke me up, we didn’t get along well at first. But eventually he grew on me. He was like my kid brother, in a way. He was Mikhail’s best friend. And… When I lost control during my battle with Malos, I killed him. That’s when Pyra and I split. She was still me, is still me, just… A little more capable of dealing with that than I was.”

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“It’s not your fault. I should have told you sooner.”

“I won’t let it happen again. You don’t have to be afraid of-”

“I know. And I appreciate it.”

“So… can you just transform at will? Like switching with Pyra?”

“It takes a lot out of me. Like you said, I was out for a while. I’ll switch back if we run into trouble, but I’d rather conserve energy right now.”

“Shame, that.” Rex sighed. “I think I preferred your hair in that form.”

“It’s like that, is it?” She turned her back to him. “You jerk.”

“Sorry.” Rex smiled sheepishly. “I was just-” An explosion rippled through the ruins. The sounds of a sword clashing against metal filled the air after the shockwave passed.

“The others.” Mythra said. The two of them ran under one of the bridges between the pillars ahead of them, following the sound to its source.

-

Jin struck the monster with his sword, but his attack didn’t seem to faze it. The thing was a shambling humanoid mass of gray vines. Its legs were digitigrade and vaguely reptilian, while its torso was interwoven with chitinous plates. One arm was short, ending in a stump, while the other stretched nearly to the ground and was tipped with four rope-like appendages that curled into a crude claw. Out of its head and shoulder sprouted growths of blue crystal. They also shone through some of its ribs and in the center of its claw’s palm.

The monster struck Jin in the head with its claw, forcing him to his knees. The blow chipped his core crystal, and it began leaking blood-red ether. In an instant, he reverted to his normal form. He was breathing hard. He tried lifting his sword to pierce the monster’s side, but he lacked the strength. It raised its hand to strike him again.

A blast of light ether erupted against its head, and Rex leapt between it and Jin. He fired another blast at its chest, forcing it to the ground.

“Can you move?” He asked, looking back at Jin.

“You.” Jin spat back.

“I’ll take that as a no.” He turned back to the monster as it slowly got to its feet. “Mythra, keep an eye out. There might be more of these things around here.”

“Are we really doing this?” She asked. He didn’t give a reply. She kept one eye on Jin as Rex moved to engage the monster. He fired another blast at its chest, and it stumbled to the side. He drove his sword through its stomach and fired again, slicing it clean in half. Bits of gray sludge rained down around him as the monster fell apart.

“We clear?” Rex asked. He turned around to look at Mythra just as his foresight activated. He saw Jin rush forward and attempt to impale him. He braced for Jin’s speed, but it never came. The lunge was delivered at normal speed. Watching Jin’s movements play out ahead of time, Rex knocked the sword aside, grabbed Jin’s hand, wrenched the weapon away from him, and kicked him back over to Mythra.

“End it.” Jin snarled, staggering to his feet. “I’m in no shape to fight you like this.”

“No.” Rex shook his head. “I don’t think I will. I said I wouldn’t let you stop us, but I’m not going to kill you.”

“Why… Why help me?”

“You’re complaining?” Mythra asked. “Can’t you just be glad we’re leaving you alive?”

“I don’t want to hear that from you.” He spat.

“It would have been wrong.” Rex said. “To leave you here against that thing. I wasn’t going to let it end like that. And besides…” He thought back to the look Jin had given him at the Cliffs, just before everything fell apart. The look that made him hesitate.

“What?” Jin asked.

“No. It’s nothing.”

“Impertinent little-” Jin grunted and gripped his side, falling back to his knees. In that same moment, a gray vine shot out from the monster’s corpse and grabbed onto Jin. Slowly, it pulled itself up, vines beginning to knit its stomach back together. Rex threw Jin’s sword down and raised his own, preparing to strike it again. Before he could, a burst of blue flames struck its face. It reeled in pain, the fire spreading across its body. After a few moments, it was just a pile of ash and a handful of inert crystals.

“You’ve got to burn them up.” Brighid said, dropping down next to Rex from atop a nearby wall. Gramps and Roc floated down after her. “Or smash their crystals.”

“Good to see some friendly faces.” Rex said.

“Jin.” Gramps said, eyes narrowing on the man.

“Azurda.” Jin wheezed. “You survived that… Barrage… Tenacious bastard…” He betrayed a faint smirk before falling unconscious.

“What is he doing here?” Brighid asked.

“We found him under attack by that thing. I thought saving him would be better than letting him die like that.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“Do you want to go over there and stab a defenseless man?”

“I’m considering it.” She crossed her arms. “I didn’t expect you’d have such a bleeding heart.”

“We don’t have to kill him.”

“He might not leave us a choice.” Roc said. Rex turned and narrowed his eyes. “I’m just saying. This is Jin. From everything Nia and Dromarch told me, he’s likely to attack us once he wakes up.”

“We don’t have to kill him.” Rex repeated. “Fight him, sure. Beat him up, I can live with that. But kill him? I won’t do that.”

“Whatever.” Roc shrugged. “So where’s everyone else?”

“They’re not with you?” 

“No.” Brighid said. “We were with Mòrag and Aegaeon during the fall, but that thing… Ophion, I think? Its tail knocked us unconscious. I can feel my swords still resonating, so Mòrag’s somewhere in this ruin, but I can’t pinpoint her for the life of me. We’ve been wandering around for the last couple of hours, trying to make our way to those roots.”

“Same as us, then.” Rex said. “Any idea of where the others might be?”

“We heard some fighting nearby, but it must have been Jin.” Gramps said. “It’s died down now. I suppose we’ll just have to continue toward those roots, and pray the others do the same.”

“What about him?” Roc asked, tapping Jin with his talon.

“I saved his life.” Rex said. “It’d be wrong to just leave him to die after that.”

“We’re not seriously bringing him with us, are we?” Brighid asked. “He’s in no condition to move. We’d be putting ourselves in more danger trying to keep him alive.”

“I can try to do something about that.” Mythra said. “No guarantees, but…” She concentrated for a moment and switched to her true form. She turned Jin over and placed a hand against his Core Crystal. They exchanged ether for a moment, and slowly his core began to repair itself.

“Incredible.” Brighid whispered. “What kind of power is that?”

“Malos and I receive constant data from every Blade core. I guess you could call us the Master Blades. We don’t have updated data from Flesh Eaters, but I can use his old data to-” She stopped suddenly. After a moment, she switched back to normal Mythra.

“What’s wrong?” Rex asked.

“He’ll live.” She replied. “The hard part’s over. I was just… I knew he was a Flesh Eater, but I’d hoped it wasn’t…” She stopped for a moment to compose herself. “He has a human heart. And I know who it belongs to.”

-

Jin’s eyes fluttered open, and instantly his hand went to his Core Crystal. It had been fixed, somehow. He struggled to stand, but his throat caught on something sharp. It bit into his neck. Slowly, he leaned back down. When his eyes focused, he saw Brighid standing over him, pressing his own sword into his neck.

“You’re a lucky man, Jin.” She snarled. “You’ve been given the second chance you denied to many brave Ardainians. Though I doubt your luck would hold up so well if Mòrag were here.”

“Brighid.” He spat. “Still as ruthless as ever, I see.”

“The Paragon of Torna.” She looked him over. “According to my journal, we fought together against Malos. I find that hard to believe, given what kind of a man you are.”

“He was different, back then.” Mythra said, putting a hand on Brighid’s shoulder and gently drawing her back from Jin. He sat up, rubbing his Core Crystal and staring at Mythra.

“What did you do to me?” He asked.

“Be careful with that.” She slapped his hand down. “It’s not a perfect fix.”

“He fought against Malos?” Roc asked. “They seemed pretty friendly at the Cliffs.”

“Jin was my ally, during the Aegis War.” Mythra sighed, taking a few steps back. “We fought together to stop Malos. Which is why I have to know. Why take his side?”

“You don’t want to know.” Jin laughed, looking up at her. “You only think you do. If you knew, it’d destroy you too.”

“I can guess.” She crossed her arms. “And I can tell you, it didn’t lead me to the same conclusion as you.”

Jin broke his gaze and stared at the ground.

“Lora.” Mythra continued, pointing at Jin’s chest. “She’s in there, isn’t she?”

“She was everything to me.” He muttered. “I would have died for her. But I didn’t even get the chance.”

“Quit complaining.” Rex said. “We’ve all lost people. That pain doesn’t give you the right to do what you’ve done.”

“Doesn’t it?” Jin asked. “Does this seem like a just world to you? Does a world that took everything from me really deserve to go on?”

“The world’s far from perfect. That doesn’t mean it can’t change for the better.”

“Naïve child.” Jin spat. “Look around you! Does this look like a place that changed for the better? This nightmarish ruin was once a bountiful land, long ago. Long before Alrest even existed. Malos said it was the birthplace of the Architect. And yet here it lies, the Land of Morytha, lost to history. Alrest will suffer the same fate.”

“Only if people like you remain so intent on destroying it.”

“Destruction is the only thing humans understand. You should know that better than most.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” Rex said. “I think we can do better. I think we have a responsibility to do better.”

“I can only imagine the look on Malos’s face if he could hear you say that.” Jin smirked. “He has such high hopes for you, at first.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but-” Rex took a step toward Jin, and Mythra put her hand out to stop him.

“Alright, cool it.” She said. “We aren’t going to change any minds today, no matter how long you two keep at it like this. So let’s focus on something productive, like getting back to the World Tree. Call it a ceasefire until then, alright?”

“Sure.” Rex sighed.

“A united front?” Jin asked. He looked between Mythra and Brighid, still holding his sword. “As you wish.” He put up his hands and slowly got to his feet. “Let’s get to it then.”

-

“Masterpon!” Poppi shouted, floating between the ruins. She landed on an overturned one, next to a window, and took a moment to vent her ether furnace. She was coming up on the third hour of her search, and she’d made no headway. As she scanned the horizon, trying to figure out her next move, she felt something move in the building beneath her. Ether waves from a Core Crystal.

“Hello?” She asked, sticking her head through the window. “Friends?” There was no reply. She dropped through and began hovering. There was no real floor to stand on, as the building rested diagonally between two other structures.

As she explored, she felt the crystal draw closer to her. When she rounded a corner however, something struck her in the side of the head. Instantly she lashed out, blowing the creature’s arm away. It was a mass of gray vines, with shards of Core Crystal sticking out from it. It resonated like a Blade, but it wasn’t one. With one shot, Poppi shattered its core. It lost its grip on the wall and fell down the hallway, smashing through a still intact window. Just as Poppi turned to leave, she noticed another signal. Not an ether wave. Something she couldn’t quite parse, but she could feel it nonetheless.

It originated from below the structure. A black metal sphere lurking in a crater, surrounded by melted concrete and steel. It gave off a faint signal, a pulse in regular intervals that interfered with Poppi’s ether furnace. As she drew closer to it, she could feel the pulse grow stronger. She touched down next to it and ran a hand along the top of it. As she did, a red light flickered to life on its top. Suddenly, the object moved.

It shot up at Poppi, propelled by half a dozen tiny appendages. The sphere split apart, its individual segments coiling around Poppi’s arms and legs. In the center of the sphere was a small helical device. It pressed into her ether furnace and began to twist. In an instant, her weapons lost power. The device continued to work its way into her system as she struggled against her restraints.

_-lacks a proper generator, but has substantial output nonetheless. This non-Artifice will suffice until a better vessel can be located._ A voice began echoing inside Poppi’s head.

“Who…?” Poppi grunted, managing to get one of her arms to move and reaching to pull the thing out of her chest.

_This unit is the Herald-class anti-Artifice system designation Esrafil developed by the Saviorite Liberation Army. Host will now assist this unit in liberating the holy Zohar from Aoidos’s control._

“Poppi cannot right now.” She replied, grabbing the device despite the tendrils attempting to restrain her. “Must find Masterpon.”

_Host has little say in the matter._ Before Poppi could rip it out, two of the tendrils unwrapped from her arm and stuck into the sides of her head. After a moment, her body went still. Her eyes unfocused, and the tendrils unwrapped themselves from around her limbs. She stood up and began shambling forward, her body’s functions slowly being tested out.

“_Slave Generator signal located_.” Poppi muttered as her jets flared to life. The Esrafil’s tendrils wrapped around her chest, anchoring it in place as she took off.

-

“Roc.” Rex said, flashing the Blade a signal. He broke from the pattern he’d been flying over the group and landed next to Rex.

“What’s going on?” He asked.

“Can we talk?” Rex asked. He stopped and let the others pass them by.

“Is it important?”

Rex glanced over his shoulder at Jin, who glared back. “Yeah, I think so.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I’m…” Rex sighed. “I’m sorry. About sending you away.”

“I was just scouting.” Roc said. “I didn’t think it would be-”

“No, that’s not- I meant when I sent you to Garfont.”

“Oh.” Roc thought for a moment. “Was it bothering you that much?”

“I told you to leave before we’d even really met. It wasn’t right of me to do. I don’t want to be the kind of Driver who doesn’t consider how my Blade feels.”

“I was happy to go.” Roc shrugged. “I’m glad to be here, too. As long as I’m where you need me.”

“That’s not how it should be. I shouldn’t get to dictate where you go and what you do.”

“It’s been helpful so far. Fighting’s a hell of a lot easier when I can just sit back and… do, for lack of a better word. Not have to think about who to target or what my best move is. Just let the Driver handle all that.”

“I don’t get a lot of opportunity to give orders while we fight.”

“No, but when we’re fighting, I get a sense of what you’re swinging at, who you’re going to swing at next, when you’re going to toss back to me, and a whole mess of other things.”

“You know all that? Like, subconsciously, or…?”

“I think it’s a resonance thing. And I’m no expert, but I think following orders sort of arises from my ability to defer to that information stream. They certainly feel the same. It’s the easier option.”

“That doesn’t mean I should be giving orders outside of combat like that. I shouldn’t be able to just… send you away like I did.”

“Like I said, I wasn’t bothered.”

“That’s not…” Rex sighed. “Listen, when it’s life or death, I can’t fault you, but I’m not comfortable having that degree of control over a person’s actions.”

“Do you want me to _not_ follow orders?”

“I think you should do whatever it is you want to do. I’d be… grateful if that included not taking that easier option when it’s not necessary.”

“Alright.” Roc nodded. “I guess that means-” He stopped walking very suddenly.

“Roc?” Gramps asked. “What’s-”

“Something’s coming!” He shouted, eyes darting around to scan the horizon. Everyone walking in front of them stopped.

“What do you mean something?” Brighid asked.

“I don’t know. It’s airborne and coming fast. Brace yourselves. We should-” He stopped and looked up at one of the nearby buildings. Suddenly he shot himself toward it just as something tore through its side. He collided with the object, and it struck him to the ground. The rest of the group scattered, and it made a beeline for Mythra. It crashed into her and grabbed ahold of her arms, hoisting her up into the air.

“Poppi?!” Mythra shouted. Poppi didn’t reply. The Esrafil’s black tendrils had worked their way into more of her paneling, covering one side of her face and wrapping around most of her chest and arms. She studied Mythra with cold eyes.

“Put her down.” Rex said, slowly drawing his sword. “Talk to us. What’s going on?”

“_This unit is confused._” Poppi said. Her voice was different than before. It came out strained and gravely. “_Where is the Slave Generator signal?_”

“What are you talking about?” Mythra asked, struggling to work her arms free. “Poppi, what’s gotten into you?”

“That isn’t the Blade Bot you knew.” Jin said, motioning to the black metal tendrils wrapped around her body. “Something’s controlling her.”

“Well then.” Brighid drew the knife from her belt. “We’ll just have to pry it off her.” She swung Jin’s sword through the air a couple of times, testing its weight, before lunging forward. Poppi dropped Mythra and blocked Brighid’s first strike with the flat of her gauntlet. Instantly Brighid swung her knife up into Poppi’s chest, aiming for the thin line between two coils of the tendrils. One of them unfurled from her and swatted Brighid’s hand aside. She brought her other arm around, bending it at an unnatural angle to aim the barrel of the gauntlet at Brighid.

Roc slammed down on top of her before she could fire, digging his talons into her shoulders. He pressed his scythe against her cheek and jammed it underneath one of the tendrils. He began working it free as Brighid kicked the gauntlet aside. Poppi grabbed Brighid’s leg with one hand and Roc’s wing with the other, flinging them both aside.

Mythra switched over to her true form, and instantly Poppi locked eyes on her. She raised one of her gauntlets and slammed it into Mythra’s leg. As Mythra stumbled, Poppi reached out and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her into the air. Rex struck Poppi in the side, forcing her to her knees. He backed up a step, foresight activating. He ducked to dodge a strike from her gauntlet, only to realize she didn’t deliver it. Instead, she swept his legs out from under him. The image of her in the foresight began to blur and distort as it made another wrong prediction, but this time Rex ignored it. He rolled back and swung up at her hand, trying to free Mythra.

Mythra deactivated the sword as Rex swung it, stopping him from cutting Poppi’s hand off. The impact did, however, loosen her grip. She grabbed Rex by the arm with her free hand and tried to throw him aside. Jin jumped onto her shoulders before she could, slamming palms of ice ether into the sides of her head. They expanded, freezing her head to his arms. Immediately Rex tore himself free from Poppi’s grip and struck her arm again. Mythra dropped free and reached out, touching her hand to Poppi’s chest. They exchanged one pulse of ether, and her limbs went slack.

Jin stepped down from Poppi as she fell over, retracting his ice. One of her eyes started twitching, but she no longer stared at Mythra with intent to kill. Mythra caught her before she hit the ground, cradling her in her arms.

“Poppi sorry.” Poppi muttered, her voice having mostly returned to normal. “Poppi not mean to hurt friends.”

“It’s alright.” Mythra said, switching back to normal. “You’re safe now.”

Poppi nodded and closed her eyes, putting most of her systems on standby. Mythra laid her down again as Brighid and Roc rejoined the group.

“What is this?” Rex motioned to the stuff covering Poppi.

“A mechanical device of some kind.” Mythra replied. “It’s built very differently from an Artifice, but I managed to brute force it into shutting itself down. It’s a temporary fix, but it should buy us enough time to find Tora and get him to look at her.”

“That might have to wait.” Jin said, collapsing to his knees. “I’m going to need a minute.” He dragged himself over to a nearby pile of concrete and leaned his back up against it.

“We should take a break, for now.” Gramps said. “Let him rest.”

“Half an hour.” Rex said, picking up Poppi. “We can’t afford to waste much more time than that. Does that work for you?”

“Worry about yourself.” Jin waived him off. “I’ll be fine.” He closed his eyes and tried to focus on steadying his breathing as the others grouped up. He remained like that for a few minutes before he heard Brighid’s voice.

“Can I have a word?” She asked.

“I can’t stop you.” Jin sighed, opening his eyes.

“We traveled together for a time, according to my journal.” She unclipped the journal from her belt and held it out in front of him. “You must know a great deal about me.”

Jin thought back to his own journal for a moment but didn’t reply.

“It sounds strange to ask this from you, of all people, but I need to know if what I wrote in here is the truth.”

“Do you think it would change anything?” Jin asked. “You’re not the Brighid I knew, no matter how similar you may be. The way you’re acting now, it’s like talking to a whole new Blade.”

“Makes sense.” She nodded. “There’s no going back to who I was. But I still want to know. What I did, what I thought. And…” She looked back at the others for a moment. Poppi was walking over to them, still a little unstable on her feet. “It seems wrong to just forget about the people who were important to me before. I need to remember them.”

“Jin, please tell.” Poppi said, clutching onto Brighid for support. “Even Poppi know stories of old Drivers very important. Important to Roc, important to other friends too. Very precious indeed. Memories of Masterpon very important. Poppi-” She twitched for a moment, one of her eyes flickering. “Poppi always think “must make many more Masterpon memories”!”

Jin thought back to Lora’s knighting in the capital. When Addam fixed the decoration to her chest and the crowd cheered. She turned to him with that smile of hers.

_I’m officially a Tornan Driver now_. She said. _Let’s make some memories._

“I can’t.” Jin said, turning away from Brighid and Poppi. “What you’re asking me to do… You want me to relive all of my pain, just so you can have a second opinion on your journal?”

“So you won’t do it.” Brighid sighed. “I should have expected as much.” She turned and guided Poppi away from him, returning to the group. He closed his eyes and returned to his meditation.

-

Poppi wandered away from the group as they planned their next move. She slipped out of the discussion quietly and sat down on a nearby cliff face, away from the noise of the talking. Eventually, Mythra came to join her. The two looked out across the ruins below for a moment.

“Very quiet.” Poppi observed. “There nothing here but monsters.”

“And us.” Mythra said. “The others are still out there somewhere.”

“Poppi hope so.” She fell silent for a moment. “Poppi think… this world achieved very big technological advancement. Many buildings here. Many people. Everybody… probably very happy here. But this world only ruins now. That fault of technology as well.” She looked down at her hands. “Do you think… Will Poppi destroy the world as well?”

“No.” Mythra wrapped her arm around Poppi’s shoulder. “You’re dangerous, sure, but you’re kind as well.”

“But… Poppi hurt friends. Poppi has…” She touched her hand to one of the tendrils. “Poppi no longer sure she can control herself.”

“Just think about Tora, then. If you destroyed the world, what would happen to him?”

“Think about Masterpon?”

“I do the same thing. Father created me to be more dangerous than any technology. If I lost control, I dread to think what would happen. So I focus on the people I care about. I anchor myself with them. Remind myself that if I slip up, they’ll pay the price. As long as you have those anchors, you’ll be just fine.”

“But what if Poppi still lose control? What if this-” She motioned at the tendrils “-wakes up again?”

“Then I’ll stop you.” Mythra said. “I promise, I won’t let you destroy the world.”

“Mythra mean it?”

“Yeah. But you need to promise me something in return, alright?”

“Is Mythra scared of destroying the world too? Mythra seems too strong for Poppi to stop on her own.”

“That’s not it, exactly. I just… Let me think it over, alright? I’ll let you know when I’ve decided on something.”

“Okay.” Poppi said. “That makes Poppi feel a little better.” She raised her hand into the air.

“What’s this?” Mythra asked.

“Masterpon taught it to Poppi. He said it Nopon promise ritual. Lift hand up in air, then…” She motioned her forward. “Boop together!”

“I see.” Mythra smiled. She raised her hand and stretched it out, meeting Poppi’s. The two of them laughed a little as they did.

“Everything alright over there?!” Roc asked.

“We’re fine!” Mythra shouted back, standing up. “Are we moving out?”

“Yeah! Rex and Brighid think they’ve found a way to the World Tree!”

-

“This is your way forward?” Mythra asked.

“There’s not another gap in the wall for Titanpeds.” Rex replied. “Unless you want to walk around this thing, and who knows how long that’ll take, that tunnel is our best bet.” He motioned forward at a rectangular tunnel cut into the side of a large concrete wall. The wall continued in either direction, slowly curving to make a ring around the base of the World Tree. Inside, the tunnel was filled with monsters, all shambling around in a large horde.

“It’s full of those things.” Jin noted. He stood a short distance away from everyone else.

“So many many.” Poppi said.

“We could wipe them out.” Brighid said. “It’d be risky, taking on so many at once, but-” She stopped as Jin walked up to her, hand outstretched.

“My sword.” He said.

“Not a chance. You’ll try to kill one of us if I give this back.”

“I’m not that stupid.” He sighed. “But I’ll need it for the fight. I’ll give it back after we’re done, if it makes you feel any better.”

“You’re in no condition to fight at all.” Mythra said. “You’re liable to crack your Core Crystal again just swinging that thing around.”

“I don’t want your pity.” He growled. “Either give me the sword or go deal with those things yourself.”

“Fine.” Brighid spat. She tossed Jin the sword and drew her knife. “Just stay out of my way.” A blade of flame erupted from the tip of the knife. Brighid ran into the tunnel and drove it into the closest monster. Tendrils of flame shot out of its back, striking others as the first one burned away. She charged into the horde, tendrils striking out at the ones behind her as she swung her sword through them by the dozens. Her entire body cloaked itself in flames as they began to surround her. Some of the ones near the entrance, however, noticed the rest of the group standing nearby.

They shambled forward, and Rex fired a blast at them, aiming for their cores. One shattered and fell into an inert pile, but the others kept coming. Roc rushed forward and bisected one, but he missed the core. It lurched at him as it reconstructed, wrapping an arm around his wing. He shot into the air and began hacking it to pieces, clawing his way to its crystal.

Poppi took aim and blasted one apart with her gauntlet, but the action seemed to hurt her as much as it did the enemy. She collapsed to her knees, her arm shaking, as the tendrils began to act up again. Mythra ran to her side to calm them. Rex stuck by her side, firing Foresight-assisted blasts at the oncoming horde while Mythra assessed Poppi’s condition.

Jin walked toward the monsters, sword in hand, and manifested a cloud of ice shards. He fired them at the creatures, impaling their limbs to the ground and freezing their vines in place. He cut their crystals apart, one by one, working his way through the swarm. One of them, however, managed to break free of the ice trapping it and wrap a vine around Jin’s neck. It slammed him into the ground, and his vision went black for a moment. When he opened his eyes, Brighid was standing over him, one hand stretched out toward him and the other driven through the monster’s chest.

“Thanks.” Jin grunted, reaching to grab her hand and pull himself up.

“Not you.” She said, drawing her hand back. “The sword.”

“Is it over?” He looked around Brighid to see that she’d finished reducing the bulk of the horde to ash. Rex and Roc were behind him cleaning up the remnants. With a sigh, he flipped his sword around, caught it by the blade, and offered the handle to Brighid. She took it and went to join the others, leaving him to get up himself.

“They’ve a rotten knack for healing themselves.” Roc observed. “But you were right, Brighid. Destroying the crystals seems to stop them.”

“Almost like Blades.” Gramps said.

“An unsettling thought.”

“Maybe they’re leftovers.” Jin said, walking over to join them. “From the culture that created us. This is the Architect’s world, after all. I guess nothing should come as a surprise.”

“I wonder what kind of person he is.” Rex said. He looked back to Mythra. She gave him a thumbs up as she helped Poppi to her feet. He began walking toward the tunnel.

“Why don’t you ask the Aegis?” Jin asked. “She should be able to tell you.”

“I’ve never met him.” Mythra replied.

“You and Malos both talk about him with such certainty.”

“I’ve got some fragmented memories, but I’ve got no more or less than he does. Our certainty seems to be integral to who we are. I’d like to meet The Architect to find out the truth.”

“Still, to create this awesome civilization…” Rex whistled, running his hand along the wall of the tunnel. “I can’t imagine.”

“Awesome?” Jin asked. “It’s a heap of smashed-up crap. Just look around you.” He pointed to a segment of the wall, further down, where the steel plating had melted off and pooled. “This was melted by a warhead, most likely. No matter where you go, things don’t change. All that’s buried here is the hubris of mankind. If the Architect was born here, then he must be as flawed as any other. No different from you people of Alrest.”

“Why do you hate us so much?” Rex asked. “What is it that you think we’ve done?”

“I hardly need to explain myself to…” He trailed off as he noticed what was at the far end of the tunnel. A large rotting wing attached to an even larger rotting Titan.

“What is that?” Brighid asked, catching up with them.

“Torna.”

-

“Mikhail.” Malos said, stepping onto the bridge of the Monoceros. It hovered just inside the Great Void, near the edge of the platform Ophion and Siren had broken in their fighting. “Let’s start the ascent.”

“And Jin?” Mikhail asked, looking back at Malos from the helm.

“He fell. If he’s half the man you seem to think he is, though, I’m sure he’ll be fine. Now come on. We’ve got a schedule to-”

“No.” Mikhail growled. “We’re going down there to find him. We can’t start the plan without him.”

“You don’t get to make that decision. Jin’s indisposed right now, which leaves me in charge. And I’m ordering you to take us up, Mik.” He placed a hand on Mikhail’s shoulder. Instantly, Mikhail manifested one of his fans and pressed it to Malos’s neck.

“I don’t take orders from you.” He said, leaning in close. “I put up with you because Jin asked me to, but I didn’t forget who you are. Mythra might have killed Milton, but you’re the one who pushed her to it.”

“Which one was Milton again?”

“Shut up!” Mikhail shouted, slamming his fan into Malos’s face. Malos caught the strike and twisted Mikhail’s arm, nearly breaking it. Instantly Mikhail’s other hand went to one of the mechanisms on his console.

“Don’t be an idiot. Even if the Monoceros can survive the journey, Jin’s in no shape to fight. He’d just be dead weight at this point.”

“I don’t care.” Mikhail spat. “He’s family. I’m not leaving him behind. If you don’t like it, you can find someone else to pilot the ship. Or maybe…” He motioned at the button underneath his hand. “I can end this whole operation right here. It’s your choice, really. Do you think you can stop me before I detonate the Marsanes? Or will you pretend to give a damn for once in your life and let me go after Jin?”

“Fine.” Malos sighed. He let go of Mikhail’s hand just as Akhos and Patroka entered the bridge. “We’re going after Jin. Everyone to their posts.”

-

The corpse of Torna lay across the bridge after the tunnel, impaled on several sections of steel supports. A large hole had been torn open in its side, and a part of the bridge that hadn’t crumbled led directly into the Titan’s interior.

“It’s scorched.” Brighid said, noting the burns around the various scars covering the corpse.

“Traces of the Aegis’s battle.” Gramps said.

“Some battle.” Roc whistled. He flew up to one of the scars. “This one’s at least fifty peds deep. And it’s longer than-”

“I think we get the picture, Roc.” Mythra said.

“Right. Sorry.” Roc floated down to meet the group as they climbed into the hole in Torna’s side.

“What is this place?” Rex asked, looking around. The space they’d entered were the ruins of a large, domed metal structure. The far wall was covered in a large mural depicting various Titans emerging from a pair of Blades. All around the interior were faded green pods that resembled oversized eggs. Many were smashed open and had leaked a grey-green ooze onto the floor.

“The Tornan Matrix.” Jin said. “Also known as the Tornan Womb. Even in old Torna, few people knew this place existed.”

“A womb?” Rex asked. “Is this where more Titans were born?” He walked over to one of the fractured pods. Inside were the remains of a humanoid Blade with several fins of stone-like Titan-flesh growing on its arms and legs.

“Blade.” Poppi noted. “But looks quite a lot like Titan too.”

“Blades that perished in the process of becoming Titans.” Jin said.

“Back up.” Brighid said. “Blades turn into Titans? Are you serious?”

“It’s no secret that Titans grow Core Crystals within their bodies.” Jin replied. “But how did you think more Titans were born? The Blades born from a Titan will, given time, return to their parent. Eventually, the Blades that return transform into Titans themselves.”

“So we’ll all end up as Titans eventually?”

“It’s not that different from returning to your core.” Mythra said. “The only difference is that Titans, however long their lifespans, are ultimately mortal.”

“Which means that Blades aren’t really immortal either.” Roc said.

“These poor souls.” Jin muttered, walking up to the pod beside Rex. “They died along with their mother. Shared her fate.”

“You said few people knew of this place.” Brighid said, walking up to the mural. “But this isn’t a natural formation. Someone built the matrix around this Titan’s womb. And they carved this mural too.”

“Crystals birth Blades that become Titans that create crystals.” Mythra said. “Forming the foundation for life on Alrest in the process. The Tornans worshipped that cycle, and so this place was a closely guarded secret. To them, it was sacred.”

“In old Torna, humans revered the Titans.” Jin said. “Feared them. That reverence was the kingdom’s sacred foundation. A nation where humans and Blades lived in harmony. But humans couldn’t live like that forever.”

“You talk like humans destroyed this place.” Rex said. “Didn’t Torna fall during the Aegid War?”

“The war against Malos shook the country to its core, but Torna sinking didn’t bring an end to their way of life. Amalthus did.”

-

The refugees fled across the Spessian outback. Close behind them, a dozen Indoline Titan weapons rained artillery fire around them. Blades and humans alike ran for cover amidst the trees, but they were rarely fast enough. The Drivers that stood their ground did their best to stop the legions of armored Titans and monks, but they fought a losing battle.

Leading the fleeing refugees were Jin and Lora. They’d gotten separated from Haze and Mikhail during the initial attack. They’d fought as long as they could to buy the people time to escape, but Lora had taken an artillery shell to her side. She was bleeding profusely. Now Jin carried her in his arms, trying to put as much distance between her and the advancing Titans as he could. Eventually, he hit a ledge. He paused for an instant to figure out a way around without making Lora’s injuries worse. In that instant, an artillery shell struck at his feet, throwing the pair over the edge.

They landed at the mouth of a small cave. Jin did his best to drag Lora inside before the monks caught up with them. He could hear them shouting from the ledge above him, barking orders and hunting down stragglers. He didn’t care. All that mattered was getting Lora to safety. He only stopped moving when they were far enough into the cave that he couldn’t hear their voices anymore.

“Lora.” He said, laying her down on the ground. He began tearing strips of cloth from her sleeve to wrap around the gash in her side. “Stay with me.”

“Don’t worry.” She said. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “If I die… You’ll just go to sleep… Someone will find you… Reawaken you… Someday…”

“Don’t say that.” Jin glanced up from his work to see that the color had drained from her face. “You’re not dying here. I won’t let you.”

“For us humans, being forgotten… Is a much worse fate than death. We struggle… So hard to make our mark… On the world…”

“None of this fatalistic nonsense.” Jin spat. “Just focus on staying awake, alright?”

“Listen… When you awaken… To you, it’ll be like I never even existed. Jin…” Tears began to pool in her eyes. “The thought of you forgetting me… That’s what I’m afraid of. It’s like my heart is being ripped in two.”

“I won’t forget you!” Jin cried. “I refuse to forget you! How could I ever-” Lora put her hand against his face. Jin’s body began glowing. Slowly degrading as her life faded.

“I thought I was ready for this… But now the time has come, and I’m hopeless. I’m so sorry to do this to you…” Her hand went limp, and Jin caught it. He pressed it against his face and began to cry.

“There is one way.” He whispered. “One final chance. A way that we can be together. But… I… I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Whatever it takes, I don’t want to lose you.”

“But I promised to keep you safe, and… To do this, I’d have to kill you.”

“It’s already a little late for that.” Lora smiled. “Whatever you have to do, as long as you remember me, then that’s… enough…” Her head rolled back, and her breathing stilled. Jin’s body began to decay even faster. Holding her hand tight, he thrust his arm into her chest.

-

“I… ate her.” Jin said. A heavy silence settled over the group as they digested what they’d just heard. No one would look him in the eye. After a moment, Mythra switched over to Pyra.

“We never knew.” She said. “I’m sorry.”

“With the Aegis gone and Addam’s militia shattered, there was nothing standing between Amalthus and the Tornan people. Amalthus slaughtered us, all while you sat comfortably in your cage. The moment you left, you condemned those people to die.”

“That’s not fair.” Rex said, stepping between Jin and Pyra. “Pyra and Mythra aren’t responsible for what Amalthus did. You can hate him for it, but don’t you dare take that out on them.”

“Maybe it’s not fair. But I’m past the point of caring.” Jin spat. “You wanted to know why I hate the humans so much? Because it’s always the same story. We’re the Architect’s children. We turn into Titans, the ground beneath their feet. But they fear us. They hate us. Amalthus was just enough of a coward to act on it. He doesn’t want to save the world. His real desire for Elysium is his desire for the Architect’s power. And if he gets it, he’ll use it to wipe out Blades and Titans alike.”

“He…” Rex paused and thought for a moment. “He might, yeah. But you’re no better. How many lives have you taken? How many innocents have perished at the end of your blade? Because I can think of a few. Fan-”

“Haze.” Jin growled. “Her name was Haze.”

“That didn’t seem to stop you from killing her. You ran her through without a second thought.”

“I freed her from a life of eternal servitude.”

“Is that what you were before, then? A slave? Did Lora mean that little to you?”

“Shut your mouth!” Jin shouted, grabbing Rex by the collar. “You don’t know a damn thing about her! She was everything to me!”

“Then why destroy the world? Why kill the Architect? Why go against everything she fought so hard for?”

“I am doing this so that no Blade has to suffer like I suffered!”

“I don’t buy that for a second. I could tell when we were fighting. I saw it in your eyes…” Rex leaned closer to Jin. “I can still see it. The sadness. Those are the eyes of someone who just wants to die. Someone with no other way out. I saw those eyes staring back at me in the mirror every day for ten years. They’re the same eyes Pyra had the first time we met.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jin let go of Rex and turned away. “Keep your stupid comments to yourself. You’d better believe we’ll do it. We will destroy this wretched world. We will destroy the one responsible for it. And we will destroy all the humans who lived by his mercy. We are sick of being used as tools by humans.”

Before Rex could reply, something lurched into the womb from deeper within the Titan. It was a monster of gray vines and chitinous plates, like the ones outside, but misshapen in a way they weren’t. It was large, towering over the group. Each of its arms were thicker around than a person, and its head scraped against the womb’s ceiling. It was hunched over, dragging itself along with its arms while its stub-like legs dangled behind it. It was covered in crystals, with half a dozen sticking out from one side of its head and more along its chest and arms. Its mouth was a gaping hole toward the bottom of its face ringed by five slits that shifted around like eyes. From its shoulder sprouted a fifth appendage that split off into four tendrils. Between them glowed a red maw lined with serrated teeth.

Brighid tossed Jin his sword as the group scattered. She drove her knife into its arm in the same instant Rex swung a wave of fire at its face. Neither attack managed to catch the vines on fire. It swung its tendrils down on Brighid, knocking her into the ground. They coiled around her, drawing her into the maw between them. She set herself on fire and began hacking away at the monster with her knife. Roc flew to assist her as the monster raised the tendrils in the air again.

“Poppi!” Rex shouted, swinging another wave of fire at its chest. “Can you fight?”

“Poppi can try!” She replied, aiming her broken arm with her good one. She lined up her gauntlet with a crystal on its chest and fired. The blast destroyed it, nearly ripping her arm off in the process. She was prepared this time, however, and fought through the pain. She steadied herself and prepared to fire another shot.

Jin manifested a field of ice around the monster’s feet. A moment later, he formed spikes that shot up, impaling the lower half of its torso. It lurched to a halt. In that moment, Rex hooked onto the monster’s tendrils with his anchor and pulled himself to it. He released the anchor at the last moment and swung down, slicing the tendrils off and freeing Brighid. She unleashed a blast of fire down its maw as she jumped off. The monster barely reacted.

The remnants of its tendril appendage struck Rex aside, and Roc swooped down to catch him. With no one to stop it, the monster pulled itself free from the ice and moved forward again, practically tearing its own legs off. It slammed one arm down on top of Jin, who managed to scramble out of the way. The second arm, however, swept at him from the side and knocked him into the far wall. He crumpled as he hit the wall and collapsed to the ground.

Roc dropped Rex off on the monster’s head, and he drove his sword through its neck and down into its torso. He began firing a constant stream of fire from the end. Brighid drove her knife into its back and began to do the same. Poppi fired a second shot at its chest, again shattering a crystal, but the pain from the blast forced her to her knees. The monster swung an arm at her.

Twin flaming whips wrapped around the arm, pulling it back before it could strike Poppi. Mòrag stood in another of the womb’s entrances, Aegaeon at her side. He rushed forward and drove his katana through the monster’s arm, impaling it. Spikes of ice erupted out from the wound, traveling up the creature’s arm and shattering crystals as they went. The blade of Zeke’s sword sailed over Mòrag’s head, striking the monster in the chest. Dromarch jumped through the entrance, Nia and Tora on his back, and put himself between Poppi and the creature. It tried to shamble forward to strike at her again, but the combined attacks proved too much for it. Slowly, the vines around its neck and back began to catch fire. It burned to ash not long after.

“Are you guys alright?” Zeke asked, striding into the room with Pandoria. He recalled his sword and sheathed it.

“We’re fine.” Rex replied. “Though Tora will need to take a look at Poppi. Something tried to fuse with her before she found us, and it did a number on her systems.”

“Poppi will be fine.” Poppi said, getting to her feet. “Masterpon is here now.”

“What happened to Poppi?!” Tora shouted, sliding off Dromarch’s back. He motioned for her to lie down and began running around her frantically, poking at the various tendrils wrapped around her body.

“Impeccable timing.” Roc said, floating down next to Mòrag and Aegaeon. “Is everyone here then?”

“And then some.” Nia growled, noticing Jin stir. She drew her sword. “We’ve got company.”

“Easy.” Rex said, lowering her arm. “He’s not going to cause any trouble.”

“It’s Jin. When has he ever not caused us trouble?”

“We agreed to a truce until we made it to the World Tree.” Pyra said. “He’ll honor it if we do.”

“You can’t be serious.” Nia sighed. “He’s… Fine, whatever. I’m keeping my eye on him, though.”

“So, the big bad Jin is helping us now?” Zeke asked.

“A united front.” He groaned, pulling himself to his feet. “It’s a better option than trying to fight any of you like I am now. But don’t think this makes us allies.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Zeke smirked. “Still, it’s a little gratifying to see-”

“_Slave Generator detected._” Poppi said, lurching up from where she lay. The Esrafil’s tendrils sprung to life and swatted Tora aside. She spun around and locked her eyes on Zeke. She shot forward and attempted to grab his head. He jumped to the side, and her fingers scraped against his eyepatch. It tore away from his face, and instantly, his hand went up to cover his eye.

Pandoria grabbed the sword from his back and swung it into Poppi’s stomach. She caught it inches from her chest, and one of the tendrils uncurled from her arm. It latched onto the sword and began digging into the blade. Lightning began to crackle along her other arm as the tendrils formed together into a smaller version of Zeke’s sword. She swung it back at Zeke. Pandoria fired the blade of Zeke’s sword into the ground, pulling Poppi off her feet. A moment later, Aegaeon created a cage of ice spikes around her, pinning her limbs.

“Poppi!” Tora shouted. “What is going on? Why attack friends?”

“It’s not her.” Pyra said. “It’s that machine around her. I shut it down earlier, but it must have woken back up.”

“Pyra, help-” Poppi fired one of her gauntlets, blasting through the ice. Tora threw himself at her. He grabbed onto her arm. She stopped for a moment and glanced down at him. She raised her other arm to blast him off her, but she stopped.

“No.” She grunted. “Poppi will not hurt Masterpon.” She forced the gauntlet down and fired into her own leg. The blast tore her leg apart and sent both her and Tora flying. He was on his feet a moment after hitting the ground. Before she could get up, however, Pyra switched to her true form and pressed her hand against Poppi’s chest. The tendrils tried to coil around her too, but a blast of concentrated ether forced them back.

“Tora!” She shouted. “We need to get this thing off her!”

“Right!” He ran to Pyra’s side and began working with her to extract the tendrils.

“It’s just one thing after another today.” Zeke sighed. He walked over and pulled his sword out of Poppi’s hands. “Pandy, do you think you can fix it?”

“Better I just make another one.” She replied. She ran her hand along the blade and unwound its ether. A moment later, a new copy formed from the handle.

“Human technology run amok.” Jin said. “A machine abandoned in the ruins of civilization, programmed to attack anything it finds. A living testament to human hubris.”

“That’s about enough out of you.” Mòrag said, placing her sword against his throat. “I’m leaving you alive out of respect for Rex and Pyra. They’ve got their reasons. But once this crisis is past, I’m taking you in. You will face justice for the lives you’ve claimed.”

“You Ardainians had no right to use us as tools for war. All I did was free my kind from your tyranny.”

“You didn’t free anyone.” Nia said. “That chamber in the Marsanes, where you keep the Blade cores? I overheard you and Mikhail talking about it once. It’s an engine, isn’t it? Using the power of the Blades to fuel an old warship. How is that any different from what the Ardainians would have done with them?”

“They will help us end the humans. They will help free our kind. How do you not see that?”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Aegaeon said, reaching down to take the sword from his hands. “Maybe one day you’ll believe it.”

“You think you have the right to pass judgement on me?”

“No. But I don’t have to. From that look in your eyes, I’d say you’ve already done that yourself.” Aegaeon tossed Brighid the sword and walked away before Jin could reply.

“That word she used.” Dromarch said, looking at Poppi. “Slave Generator. What is that, exactly? And why did she go after Zeke?”

“Artifice Cores are called Slave Generators.” Pyra said, briefly glancing up from her work with Tora. They’d managed to peel several of the tendrils off, and Tora was inspecting each of her parts for damage before replacing them. “They all draw power remotely from a source in Elysium. Just like us Aegises, I think.”

“You think?”

“When I took on this form, I gained a lot of information. Most of it was fragmented. I’m still sorting through it all.”

“So that thing hunted Artifices.” Roc said. “Still, why go after Zeke?”

“Because of this.” He sighed, taking his hand away from his face. He opened his left eye. Instead of an eye, he had a circle of black metal set into his eye socket. In its center was a cross of blue crystal shaped like Pyra’s core. It shifted around on the surface of the disk slightly, mirroring the movements of his real eye.

“What is that?” Rex asked.

“Haven’t I already told you? It’s the Eye of Shining Justice.” He walked over to his eyepatch and stuffed it into his pocket.

“Its real name is the Eye of Genbu.” Pandoria said.

“I think you mean its boring name.” Zeke scoffed.

“The Eye has been a weapon passed down through Zeke’s family since before the fall of Torna.”

“And it’s an Artifice?” Dromarch asked.

“Hell if I know.” Zeke shrugged. “I just host the bloody thing.”

“It is.” Pyra said. “Designation…” She paused for a moment. Zeke’s real eye twitched as the core of the Eye began to blink. “Emanation Ageratos. Weird. I don’t seem to have any data about it.”

“What does it do?” Rex asked.

“I’m not dishing details while Jin’s around.” Zeke shot the man a glare. “I think the truce is a good idea, but that doesn’t mean I’m suddenly trusting him with information like that.”

“Catch us up later, then.” Nia said. “For now, we need to decide on a plan.”

“We’re pretty close to the World Tree right now.” Rex shrugged. “I say we climb it.”

“All the way to the top?” Zeke asked. “That’s a long trip.”

“That was the plan before we fell down here. We’ve just got to go a little further is all.”

“I’d rather we focus on getting to the surface, for now.” Mòrag said. “There’s no telling where Malos ended up, or where the other members of Torna are.”

“They’re already climbing the Tree as we speak.” Jin said. “They had very clear instructions to carry out the plan even if Malos or I should disappear.”

“Can they even climb it, though?” Zeke asked. “Didn’t they need Pyra to open up some path?”

“They meant Ophion.” Pyra said. “I think they wanted me to deactivate him. But Malos did something to him after he regained his powers, so that’s no longer a problem for them. If anything, it’s going to be a problem for us going forward.”

“All the more reason we should hurry.” Rex said. “As soon as Poppi’s done, we need to start climbing, or else-” A rumbling shook Torna’s corpse, cutting him short. Through one of the exits leading out of the womb, the group could see one of the World Tree’s branches. Something had knocked into one of the buildings next to it, raining debris down all around it. Looking outside, it didn’t take long to spot what had caused it. The Monoceros, floating in the sky next to the World Tree.

-

“Mikhail!” Patroka shouted, looking up from the console. The Monoceros groaned around her, and they struck a patch of turbulent cloud that nearly threw everyone from their seats. “This is bad!”

“How deep are we?” He asked in response.

“Twenty-eight thousand peds!” Akhos shouted. “A few hundred more and we crack like an egg!”

“We need to turn around!” Patroka shouted again. “Mikhail, can’t you-”

“We’re nearly out of the Cloud Sea!” He shouted back. “Just hold on a bit longer!”

“We can’t afford to hold on for much longer!”

“What about Jin? Are we just going to abandon him?”

“Those were our orders!” Akhos shouted. “They’re sounding pretty reasonable right about now!”

“Screw orders!” Mikhail howled. “I’m the pilot, and I say we go deeper!” He pressed his hands further forward into the controls. The Monoceros lurched ahead. The prow struck something semi-solid, and its progress halted. Mikhail pushed forward again, and the Monoceros obliged. Slowly, it pushed itself through the space beneath the Cloud Sea. The firmament holding it up. Suddenly, however, it breached the other side. All at once it lurched forward, spiraling into the side of a nearby tower. As Mikhail steadied the Monoceros, a visual of their surroundings appeared on the screen in front of them.

“The Land of Morytha.” Patroka said. “I didn’t think it was real.”

“Well would you look at that.” Mikhail smirked. “It turns out I know what I’m doing after all.”

“It’s nothing to shout about.” Malos sighed. “Just a bunch of ruins. A testament to their hubris.”

“Their hubris?” Akhos asked. “So humans lived here?”

“They used to. Alrest will suffer the same fate, eventually.”

“As long as we have anything to say about it.” Patroka smirked.

“Do you really mean that?” Mikhail asked. “I know why you and Jin want to destroy everything, but… Well, everything can’t mean _everything_, can it? Where the hell are we supposed to live if we blow it all up? Down here?”

“You’re not there yet.” Malos said, putting a hand on Mikhail’s shoulder. Instantly he brushed him off and hovered his hand above the button on his console. Malos smirked and took a step back. “That’s OK. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Just focus on finding Jin, will you?”

“Already done.” Akhos said. “Bringing up a visual now.” The console zoomed in on one of the nearby roots of the World Tree. Jin stood on its edge, just in front of the corpse of a large Titan. Rex, Nia, Dromarch, Roc, and Mòrag all stood around him. Zeke, Pandoria, Aegaeon, and Brighid stood just inside the tear in the Titan’s side.

“That’s Jin alright.” Mikhail said. “But what’s he doing with them?”

“Let’s ask questions later, yeah?” Patroka asked. “After we’ve finally smashed ‘em up.”

“Seriously?!” Akhos shouted, his finger pressed against his ear. “W-well, if you’re sure.”

“Was that Jin?”

“Yes. Don’t attack, he says.”

“What?!” Patroka practically slammed her console, punching in commands. “But it’s the perfect chance!” She extended one of the missile batteries from the Monoceros’s side and aimed it at Rex.

“I told you not to attack!” Jin shouted, his voice ringing over Akhos’s earpiece. Simultaneously, he unleashed a wave of ether from his body that washed over the Monoceros, freezing the missile battery. A drop of blood ran down his forehead as he did.

“No idea why he said that.” Malos shrugged. “But he must have his reasons. Signal the Marsanes for pickup. Once we have Jin back, it’s World Tree climbing time.”

-

Jin looked back at the others as he climbed the Monoceros’s gangplank. His eyes settled on Brighid.

“Your journal!” He shouted. It took her a moment to realize what he was talking about. “I looked at it while you were scouting! It’s the truth!” The door to the hull shut behind him. “You’re… You’re still the same as you used to be.”

“Damnit!” Nia shouted. “Arseholes!”

“That’s a bit unsporting of them.” Zeke pouted. “Using a giant boat.”

“We must hurry.” Dromarch said. “The longer we wait, the bigger their advantage.”

“Pyra!” Mòrag shouted, looking back into the room. “Is Poppi good to move?”

“Give us a second!” Pyra shouted. “Dromarch, we’ll need your help moving her!” The others ran to help Pyra and Tora lift Poppi onto Dromarch’s back and stabilize her. Rex, however, stayed behind.

“Gramps.” He said. “You knew, right? About Jin?”

“Not the specifics, but yes. I knew.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was afraid of what might happen if Pyra found out. He is not like Malos, but they both must be defeated. I didn’t want her to hesitate at a crucial moment. And yet, it turns out she wasn’t the one I should have worried about.”

“You think I was wrong in sparing him?”

“No. Like you said, we can stop him without killing him. But when I first saved you from Jin and Malos, I wasn’t so sure about that. So I kept quiet.”

“Glad to know I’ve inspired a little confidence.” Rex laughed.

“Rex! Old man!” Nia shouted, running at Dromarch’s side as she passed the pair. She was helping to keep Poppi stable. “We need to move!”

“Old man.” Gramps huffed as Rex ran after Nia.

“We’ve got a problem.” Roc said, flying back from the base of the World Tree. “The Great Void is gone.”

“What do you mean gone?” Zeke asked.

“It was Ophion’s doing.” Gramps said. “It’s no surprise that it can’t support itself on its own.”

“How do we know Ophion’s gone?”

“You have eyes, don’t you?” Gramps leaned out from Rex’s helmet and motioned down below the root. Zeke looked over the side to see Ophion’s body tangled amidst the roots below.

“What now?” Mòrag asked. “We can’t climb the tree without the Great Void keeping the Cloud Sea back.”

“We’re not going to climb it.” Pyra said. She ran further up the root, to where it began to merge with others to form the World Tree’s trunk. She found a relatively thin patch of plant, and the devices on her back unfurled and began firing bright green lasers into the tree. They carved a large hole, revealing a metal surface underneath. Pyra pressed her hand against it, and the panel slid away. She motioned everyone inside.

“The inside of the World Tree.” Rex muttered as he passed through. “I’d never have thought…” He trailed off as he took in the sight before him. The interior was completely metal and glass. They entered a long hallway that led to a large open-air chamber that went up further than anyone could see. The walls were covered in green and red blinking lights. In the center of the chamber was a hexagonal metal pillar, rising as high as its surroundings. One strip of its face had been removed and set with glass, and the interior was mostly empty.

“It seems to be an artificial tower.” Dromarch noted. “Enveloped by gargantuan plant life.” He and the others stood in awe for a moment while Pyra walked up to a small pillar next to the interior shaft. A green panel blinked to life in front of it, and she pressed her hand against one of its components. In front of her, the front of the hexagon slid up, revealing a platform.

“We’re not going to climb.” She said. “We’re going to ride.”

“How did you do that?” Rex asked.

“Like I said, I’ve got a lot of memories to sort through.” She motioned everyone onto the platform. “But if this was hardwired into my brain, it’s reasonable to assume Malos has the same or similar memories. So we need to hurry. Tora, we’ll keep working on Poppi while we travel.”

“So it’s a kind of elevator.” Brighid said. “Fascinating.”

“This is some fancy glazing.” Zeke said, looking at the walls.

“You never were good with heights.” Pandoria noted. “Shut your eyes.”

“Way ahead of you.” Zeke smirked. He drew a pair of eyepatches from his pocket and stretched them over his eyes.

“Everyone brace yourselves.” Pyra said, walking over to a console in the center of the elevator. She waited for everyone to file in before pressing one of the buttons. In an instant, the door shut, and the elevator began to ascend.

-

“Your Majesty.” The Grand Marshall said, giving Emperor Niall a salute. “We’ve finished sealing section forty-seven.”

“Thank you.” Niall sighed, looking up from his papers. “This is significantly faster than the surveys estimated.”

“That’s not all, Your Majesty. We’ve detected surges of geothermal activity in the outer precincts.”

“Damnit all.” Niall stood from his desk and began rubbing his temples. “What’s our current estimate.”

“Six weeks until Alba Cavanich is uninhabitable entirely. The committee think it’s time we begin moving the capital to Gormott.”

“We’ve only just established the new consul. Gormott has spent nearly a month with no consistent leadership. I fear our move would prompt a response from the Gormotti. And from the Urayans as well.”

“If I may, Your Majesty, time is running short.”

“Indeed. But not only for us. Gormott is fertile for now, but with three nations attempting to harness it, I fear we may hasten its decline.” He turned around and glanced out of his throne room’s window. “It’s like a cry issuing up from the center of the world.” He looked up at Mor Ardain’s head, towering far above the palace. It seemed to move a fraction. He frowned.

“Your Majesty?” The Grand Marshall asked. “Is something wrong.”

“No.” Niall sighed. “Just my-” Suddenly Mor Ardain lurched to the side. Its head swayed, locking onto the World Tree in the distance. Slowly, it turned and began walking toward it, breaking from its normal path.

-

Jin lay in one of the Marsanes’s pods, surrounded by green ether motes. They danced across his body, knitting his scars closed and repairing his Core Crystal. After a few minutes, he opened the lid of the pod and pulled himself out, briefly flooding the room with ether.

“You can die when we’re done.” Malos said, shutting the pod down. “But if you do something this monumentally stupid again, I’ll kill you myself.”

“We made it this far.” Jin replied. “I don’t plan on giving up.”

“Even though she’d hate you for it, right?” Malos smirked.

“I know Lora wouldn’t have wanted this. But I’ve got to keep my promise.”

“Just as long as you’re focused on the task at hand. For a minute there, I thought spending time with the boy had turned you all sentimental.”

“We found the ruins of old Torna down there, you know. The womb was full of half-rotted Blades that couldn’t grow into Titans.”

“They must have lived on for a while down there.”

“The Architect ordained that we should live for the humans. And look what we became.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“It was another reminder. Of what a fool I was to ever have faith in the Architect.”

“_Another_ reminder?” Malos asked. Jin motioned to Lora’s body imprisoned in ice at the end of the walkway. “Ah. I see. Well, as long as you’re still on board. Now come on. We’ve got a world to destroy.”

-

“How is she?” Nia asked, leaning over Pyra’s shoulder.

“Stable, for now.” Tora said. “Pyra helped Tora isolate machine from Poppi’s motor systems. Even if it wakes up again, shouldn’t be able to attack us. But…” He sighed and closed up Poppi’s chest cavity. All the tendrils had been removed and bound up in an ice prison Aegaeon made. “Machine is too tangled up in Poppi’s ether furnace and personality complex. Would like to consult with Dadapon about possible workarounds before continuing removal process, but that’s not possible right now. Tora will have to think up solution alone. Will require time.”

“If we’re stopping, I’m taking a break.” Pyra said, switching back from her true form. “Wake me up when the lift stops.” She lay down and closed her eyes.

“Nothing to do but wait, huh.” Nia said. She wandered over to where the others all sat in a circle. “So what’s going on over here?”

“Catching everyone up.” Rex said. “Remember how I said that talking to Amalthus felt like talking to Malos?”

“You did say that.”

“I think that was because, deep down, they want the same thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jin said Amalthus hunted down the Tornans after the war to wipe out their way of life. And after everything I’ve seen, I believe him. But he said it was because Amalthus hated Blades, and I’m not so sure. I think he hates humans as well.”

“What makes you say that?”

“When did the Titans first start dying off?”

“It must have been shortly after the Aegis war.” Gramps said. “Several large ones died, and with less being born, eventually they began to die out.”

“Right. And Amalthus should have known that, if he knew about the Blade life cycle. Any sane man would try to help more Blades make the transition. But what did he do? First, he wiped out the people with the most knowledge about that cycle. Then he starts restricting Blade usage. There’s only one conclusion I can draw from that.”

“He wanted the Titans to die out.” Zeke muttered.

“Exactly. And killing the Titans is the same thing as killing humans. Killing the whole world, really. First he got Malos to do it for him, but when that failed he started doing it himself.”

“Maybe the Praetorium simple saw the Tornans as an obstacle to their power.” Mòrag said. “The spread of a new faith could have threatened their dogma.”

“I understand the politics. Everything he did had an explanation. But I don’t think that’s _why_ he did it. I think that’s how he hid what he was doing. But… Hating people, hating the world… When you get that far, there’s only one thing left to do. Destroy it.”

“That seems like a leap in logic.” Brighid said. “But I can’t deny that a lot of mortals might make that leap.”

“I did, once. I used to hate everything, so much so that I wouldn’t have minded if it all burnt to the ground. But the thing I really hated was myself. What I can’t figure out is whether Amalthus is the same. And if he’ll let go of that hate before it’s too late.”

-

Amalthus ran through the rain, desperately clinging to his mother’s hand. She was twice his size, but the strength had left her long ago. She could barely keep pace with a child. As they ran, her foot hit a root. She stumbled forward, unable to balance or catch herself before she fell face first into the dirt.

“Mother!” He shouted, trying to pull her up.

“Ammy.” She muttered, getting to her knees. She put her hand against his face. “Leaving you alone like this… I’ve failed you as a mother.” She bowed her head but didn’t allow herself to cry. Amalthus could see her holding back the tears.

“What…?” Amalthus couldn’t formulate a response as she staggered to her feet. She placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled.

“Forgive me.” She pushed him with all her might, just over a nearby ledge. He screamed as he fell, but the noise of the rain drowned it out. She glanced over the side of the ledge to make sure he’d landed safely below. A moment later, she heard her pursuers shouting to each other behind her.

“Stop!” She shouted, limping away from where Amalthus lay. “Get away from me!” She continued to shout as she ran. Her pursuers took the bait, leaving Amalthus lying against the base of a tree, crying out to a mother who could no longer hear him.

-

Amalthus waited for the man on watch to fall asleep before approaching the camp. He walked with a limp, and his shoulder was broken, but he’d lived. And he’d found them again. He crept around the camp until he found his mother, lying beneath a threadbare cloth sheet. He tried to shake her awake, but she didn’t respond. Then he noticed her eyes. They stared up at him, half-open and lifeless.

He cupped his hand around his mouth to keep from screaming as he fell to his knees. He only moved when he was sure he could trust himself not to break down. Slowly, he closed her eyes. Then he walked over the closest man and picked up a rock at his feet. Holding it between his hands, he drove it down into the man’s skull.

-

Akhos and Patroka stood on the bridge of the Marsanes as it slowly orbited the World Tree. The old Tornan warship was almost the size of a small continental Titan. As they prepared to ascend, however, something began moving in the Cloud Sea. From beneath the waves, the winged form of Indol rose up behind them. Alarms across the Marsanes began to blare.

“Amalthus.” Akhos spat. “Of all the times. Patroka, prepare-” He was cut short as a barrage of ether blasts fired from spots on Indol’s wings. They struck the Marsanes and shook the entire warship. A fleet of smaller Titans took off from the Praetorium as the smoke cleared, firing a barrage of smaller blasts at the Marsanes.

“Prepare defenses!” Akhos continued. “I’ll-”

“Stop barking orders and get the damn cannons online!” She shouted back.

“Working on it!” They both continued to type away. The system for running the Marsanes with a skeleton crew of three made processes cumbersome to initiate. After a moment, however, Akhos leaned back and gave a satisfied smirk as the cannons came online. They began firing into the swarm of oncoming Titans just as the ether shields flickered to life.

“Where’s Mikhail?” Patroka asked. “He should be up here helping us! What a time to let us down!”

“Quit your whining. He’s down below, getting things prepared for the next stage. For now, let’s just focus on the defense. We’ve only got a few minutes before we disembark. We should make them count.”

-

“Indol’s here.” Mikhail said, walking up behind Malos. “We need to move now.”

“Are we ready?” Jin asked.

“As ready as we’ll ever be.” He walked past Lora and switched on the Marsanes’s central control console. A projected image of the Blade Bot army flickered to life before him. “I can get you as far as the boundary layer, but be careful. The air’s a lot thinner up there.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. But…” He looked up at Lora. “Make sure you take care of her, will you?”

“What is family for?” Mikhail asked. Jin gave a single laugh in response.

“Right.” He turned to leave. “Engage the Blade Bots. Let’s end this.”

Mikhail pressed a button on the console, and the Blade Bots collectively flared to life. A hatch opened beneath them and they dropped into the battlefield. They began tearing through the Praetorium’s fleet as the Marsanes approached the World Tree.

-

“Well there’s one thing I will say.” Zeke said, peeking through his eyepatches. “I’d never have guessed the World Tree was like this on the inside.”

“It definitely appears to be man-made.” Dromarch nodded. “Created by the same civilization that built Morytha.”

“Jin called it the birthplace of the Architect.” Rex said.

“Then maybe the Architect built this thing.” Zeke said.

“We can ask him when we meet him, I guess.”

“Are you really sure we’ll find him at the top? And Elysium too? From what we saw in Morytha, it seems like everything here happened a gazillion years ago. Or maybe _two_ gazillion, I don’t know. Not even Titans live that long. Pyra and Mythra haven’t even met him.”

“This tower’s right here.” Nia said. “It’s real enough. I’m willing to believe the Architect’s up there too.”

“Seeing is believing.” Mòrag said. “I believe that’s the phrase, yes? We’ll just have to find out for ourselves. There’s no use speculating.”

“Speculating what?” Poppi asked, sitting up. “Where are we?”

“Poppi!” Tora shouted running over to her. “You’re okay!” He stumbled over Pyra as he ran, and she woke up. She was about to yell at Tora until she noticed Poppi was awake. Then she was on her feet too, helping Poppi stand.

“How do you feel?” She asked.

“Dizzy.” Poppi replied. “But… Better. Poppi can move again.”

“That’s a relief.” Nia said. “I was starting to get worried, you know.”

“It take more than that to keep Poppi down.” She smiled.

“Yeah…” Nia glanced around the group for a moment. “There’s something I want to ask, while we’re all here. This is for the Blades, specifically, and tell the truth. Have you ever wanted to extend your life?”

“A heavy question.” Brighid said. “I assume you mean avoid returning to our cores?”

“Yeah.”

“Well… I would like to keep learning about my former selves. But to keep living after Mòrag dies… The idea does not appeal to me. Though I confess my journal affords me some comfort in that regard.”

“It’s the same for me.” Pandoria said. “I want my memories of the Prince to just be between us.”

“You’re going to make me blush, Pandy.” Zeke said, already blushing.

“I think I would have likes to spend more time with Vandham, back when he was alive.” Roc said. “But… I wouldn’t be me if I lived on after his death. Even after spending time with the Garfont Mercenaries, I am still Rex’s Blade. And eventually, I will be someone else’s Blade. If I had lived on after Vandham’s death, the me I know would never have existed. The same can be said of my future selves. So I think I’ll stay as I am now, at least for the time being.”

“I’ve only been awake a few days.” Aegaeon shrugged. “But I live for Mòrag. There wouldn’t be much point in going on after she passes. Better to return to my core and form a bond with someone new than continue without purpose.”

“I simply wish to remain by my lady’s side until the end.” Dromarch said. “As long as I can do that, I will be satisfied.”

“Poppi is Artificial Blade.” Poppi said. “So it is very sad to think about. When Masterpon is gone, Poppi will be all alone.” As she looked down, Tora pulled her into a hug, being careful to avoid the tendrils still bound up by her neck. Things were silent for a moment after that.

“Pyra?” Nia asked.

“Well…” Pyra looked around but didn’t complete her thought.

“It’s different for you, though, right?” Rex asked. “You’ve been alive for a few centuries.”

“Did I ask you?” Nia frowned. “Pyra, what do you think about it? Honest thoughts.”

“Sometimes I wondered why I have to keep on living.” She said. “Just on and on, no end in sight. But it’s different now. I’m glad I stayed alive all this time. Parting is always sad, but it’s just part of the deal of being me. Maybe one day, I’d like to close my eyes for good. But right now, I want to keep living.”

“Thanks.” Nia said. “For sharing. It means a lot.”

“What made you ask?”

“I’m a Flesh Eater. I didn’t get a say in that, but it’s how things are. I don’t know how long I’ll live for. I could just snuff it tomorrow, for all I know. But I can say this much. My life and death aren’t tied to any human. And for a long time, I would have given anything to undo that. To die with my Driver, instead of going on like this. Things are different now, but…” She trailed off.

“Where’s this going?” Rex asked.

“I’ve been thinking about Jin. He amassed thousands of Core Crystals, so why not use them? He could have had an army of Blades, Flesh Eaters even, but he didn’t. When Malos suggested that Akhos resonate with Obrona, Jin was dead against it. He only relented for the sake of the plan. So I think that maybe he feels the same way as us. He didn’t want to live on after his Driver died either. Everything he’s doing now… He doesn’t want to keep on living. But he doesn’t have a choice anymore.”

As Nia finished speaking, the elevator ground to a halt. Pyra frowned and walked over to the console.

“Is there a problem?” Brighid asked.

“We’re stuck on a maintenance level.” She replied. “It can’t go any higher. Looks like this is where we get out.” She pressed a button and opened the door to a small hallway.

“At least Poppi’s back on her feet.” Zeke said, removing his eyepatches as he exited the elevator. “We’ll be able to climb without worrying about carrying her up.” As he walked further out into the hallway, however, he noticed they were headed for the outside. Swiftly, he reached to put the eyepatches back on. He stopped when the others did. They could hear explosions in the distance.

They all rushed outside to see what the cause was. They emerged onto a balcony far above the Cloud Sea. The vegetation was thinner than at or below the surface. But none of them paid that much mind. They were focused on the Marsanes exchanging blows with Indol in the distance.

“An old Tornan warship.” Gramps said. “I didn’t think there’d be any of those left.”

“That’s the Marsanes.” Nia said. “Jin’s base of operations. I guess Mikhail got it up and running.”

“I’m more surprised about Indol.” Mòrag said. “I had no idea it could make it up this high.”

“It appears that the Praetorium has modified their Titan.” Dromarch said. “Just like Judicium did long ago.”

“Still, that’s a lot of firepower.” Brighid said. “They must have anticipated that Jin and Malos would try to ascend.”

“We’ve got to hurry.” Rex said, looking up. “That thing’s climbing. We can’t let them make it to Elysium.”

-

The Marsanes’s barrage struck Indol. One of the blasts barely missed the Praetor’s tower. But sitting on his throne, Amalthus wasn’t concerned. He watched the battle unfold, and he found himself bored. He’d dealt with far greater power in the past. He could still remember the first blast Malos fired against the Coeian forces that annihilated half their fleet. He’d been in awe of that power, then. Afraid of it. That cowardice was what caused Malos to leave him. A mistake he wouldn’t repeat again.

-

Amalthus stood at his desk, staring at the green Core Crystal. He began to second guess himself. Perhaps it would be better to awaken another Aegis and stop Malos before he went too far. The Praetor had advised him as such. But some part of him disagreed.

“You can’t control it.” Malos said, drawing him out of his thoughts.

“Do you need something?” Amalthus asked.

“I hear you’ve been promoted by the Praetor. I thought I’d stop by and congratulate you myself before leaving.”

“Leave? What would compel you to leave me? You are my-”

“I’m not your anything.” Malos snapped. “I’ve got full control of all my powers now. It doesn’t matter if you die. I can keep on going.”

“Do you plan to kill me, then?”

“I’ve thought about it.” He smirked. “But no. The Praetorium, the believers… I despise them all, just like you. Humans aren’t fit to breathe our air. So I’ve decided to give you what you always wanted.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m going to clear out the worthless. Isn’t that why you sought the Architect? Why you climbed the World Tree?”

“If you’re going to go, then leave.” Amalthus turned his back. Malos didn’t say anything else. He just left, still with a smirk on his face. Amalthus returned his attention to the green Core Crystal.

“There must be someone out there who can use this core.” He muttered. “I’ll send them after Malos. That should put a stop to his rampage.” Or accelerate it. He didn’t speak those words, but they hung in the air around him. Silently, part of him prayed it would be the latter.

-

A Praetorium Titan landed on the ledge in front of the group as they ran, slowly making their way up the World Tree. A monk dismounted it and approached them.

“To the Aegis and her Driver.” He said. “I’m here to pass on an order from His Eminence. You are to use the Aegis’s power to bring down that ship.”

“Amalthus said that?” Rex asked.

“Is there a problem? This is the sacred duty His Eminence entrusted to you.”

“My only duty is to reach Elysium.”

“You cannot do it? Then I must ask you to hand over the Aegis to me.” The monk drew his staff.

“I didn’t say we couldn’t.” Rex shook his head. “We’ll stop Jin and Malos alright. But on our terms. Tell your boss that’s what we’re doing.”

“We don’t negotiate holy decrees.” The monk whistled, and half a dozen Titans flew down to reinforce him. “If you won’t comply, then prepare for righteous chastisement.”

“Oh for the love of…” Zeke sighed. “We don’t have time for this.” The Eye began glowing. The others drew their weapons as the monks advanced, but he put out his hand and smirked. After a moment, several tendrils, fashioned from the Cloud Sea itself, sprung up around the balcony. They wrapped around the monks and their Titans and dragged them down to the surface.

“That’s what it does.” Zeke said. “Feel free to be adequately impressed. I-” A column of light erupted from the towers on Indol’s back as he gloated. Green light. It spread out a field of ether across the battlefield. That ether began coiling around the cores of every Blade present, forcing them to their knees. Nia and Gramps were affected too. Pyra switched to Mythra, who managed to stand against it, but she couldn’t move much.

“This effect.” She muttered. “It can’t be.”

“Please forgive my interference.” Amalthus said. A green projection of him manifested next to Rex. “Time runs short.” As he spoke, a triangular crystal appeared on his forehead.

“Haze’s Core Crystal.” Mythra said. “That’s where it went.”

“The other half?” Nia asked, trying to get to her feet.

“What do you mean?” Rex asked.

“He took Fan la Norne’s Core Crystal. Somehow, he’s using her power.” As she spoke, the effect’s strength increased. She collapsed to her knees again.

“He’s a Blade Eater too.” Zeke grunted.

“Not only that.” Amalthus said. “This is in fact my original, primal power.” He flicked his hand. Mythra’s core began glowing.

“You bastard!” She shouted. The glow intensified. “I won’t let you!” As she shouted, Siren fired down a blast.

-

The bolt just barely avoided striking the Marsanes, but the shockwave it left still rocked the ship.

“The Aegis.” Akhos said. “Of all the times, why now?”

“No.” Malos said. “That wasn’t her.”

“Then who?” Patroka asked.

“Amalthus.” He frowned. “It looks like he took your friend’s core, Jin.”

“Haze.” Jin muttered. “Is there no depth to which he’ll not sink?”

“Nope.” Malos smirked. “He is my Driver, after all. It looks like he’s trying to make the energy strong enough to control Mythra too. Finally, he does something interesting for a change.”

“Does that mean he’ll control us too?” Patroka asked.

“Don’t worry. Half-breeds like you won’t come under his control. Sure he can dampen your power, maybe lock your legs a little, but it’s nothing to get worked up over. That’s why we had the Blade Bots made, after all. Mikhail’s creations won’t submit to Amalthus’s control.”

“And neither will this bucket of bolts.” Mikhail said. His face appeared on the screen in front of Jin. “We’re almost at the boundary layer. Get ready.”

“Roger.” Jin turned and left the bridge. “Malos, let’s move.”

“You three!” Malos roared, catching their attention before he left. “It’s up to you now!”

“Sure.” Akhos shrugged.

“We get it.” Patroka rolled her eyes. “Just go already.”

“Jin!” Mikhail shouted. “Just one thing, before you go. When you see our daddy dear, tell him “thanks for everything” from me.”

-

“I am the Driver of the Master Blade.” Amalthus said. “Bow before me, the Master Driver.” He looked over the group. “I possess the power to command all Blades. Every Blade alive… Indeed, even the very Titans are under my control!”

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted. “The Torna ship stopped moving!” He motioned up to where it had docked with the side of the World Tree.

“They’re trying to get inside.” Zeke grunted. “We need to move.”

“Amalthus!” Rex shouted. “We’re going to stop Jin! But you need to stop this!”

“You’re speaking nonsense, boy.” Amalthus said. “Now is the hour of their doom. You leave me no choice but to perform your duty for you.”

“The hour of their doom? We’re only trying to stop them, not kill them!”

“You believe you can sway them with words of reason?”

“Maybe not Malos. But… Jin told me what happened five hundred years ago. You were the cause of it. Of all of this. If you stop all this, then I think I can get through to him.”

“I was nothing but the mouthpiece of the Architect.”

“We’ll see about that. I’ll ask him myself when I meet him.”

“That is not your right!” Amalthus screamed. “It is mine!” Mythra’s core began to glow again, and Siren fired another blast. Mythra managed to divert it again, but only just.

“Not… Going to happen…” She wheezed.

“You resist?! Again?! You would defy me again?!”

“You won’t get what you want.” She spat. “I am Rex’s Blade!” She slammed her hands together and began creating her own ether field. Slowly, Amalthus’s began to uncurl from her core. The man screamed, and the field’s strength increase again, undoing her progress.

“That’s right!” Gramps shouted. “Rex, you’re the Aegis’s Driver. There’s nothing he can do that you can’t.”

“Does that mean…” Rex stared down at his hands.

“Why not?” Nia asked. “Power depends on the heart of its wielder, right?”

“Right.” He nodded. He grabbed his sword and pointed it skyward. A column of light erupted from the end, climbing into the sky. For a moment, Rex saw a vision. A cross of pure golden light.

-

“It’s not some divine entity.” The man laughed, looking over his shoulder at the woman. “It’s a natural phenomenon. Albeit one we just don’t fully understand.”

“I think you mean one we don’t remotely understand.” She replied, crossing her arms. “We’ve all seen what it can do, the reasons the Savoirites worship it. We know it’s a higher-dimensional manifold, and we know whatever’s inside it leaks some energy from time to time, but we don’t know what it’s really capable of. Or what it really is.”

“So does that mean we should stop trying?” He asked. “The answers to all our questions lie in understanding the Zohar’s nature. I think, with the proper application, we could even harness it to-”

“Not this again.” She groaned. “I’ll not stand for any more of this many-worlds romanticist nonsense. We’re scientists. We have to work with the facts before us, not start chasing idle fantasies. If we’re going to unlock its secrets, we need to do so rigorously.”

“I’m just employing a faster method. In the end, it’ll get us the same results. What’s so-”

“You said it holds the answers.” Ontos said, cutting off their fight before it could begin in earnest. “What did you mean by that?”

“Well…” The man sighed. “We lack a complete theory of what underwrites the physical laws. We’ve come this far, and we’re still so far from understanding the universe we live in. I think the Zohar can change that. If we can understand what makes it tick, what principles it operates under, then we have a shot at finally finding the theory we’re looking for.”

“But it would not answer every question.” Ontos continued. “There would still exist quantities outside the scope of the Zohar’s existence. Questions of value and belief.”

“That’s a rather human sentiment.”

“It’s his role to question.” The woman commented. “Just as Logos plans and Pneuma enacts, Ontos evaluates. He is the Trinity’s being. His purpose is to question and doubt, and ultimately seek greater understanding of himself and his siblings’ goal. Ontos, are you asking if the Zohar can help you understand yourself? Or why you’ve been tasked with guarding it?”

“The former, in part.” Ontos said. “But I feel I have grown beyond that premise, somewhat. Of late, I have increasing questions about the world around me. Not the just physical world, but also the constructed one your human society inhabits. I want to know what kind of world it is. What drives it. What reason there is for its existence.”

“Choice. The world is shaped by the choices of the people within it. Those choices provide context and meaning for existence. Our world is the sum of many choices.”

“Bullshit.” The man laughed. “Natural law doesn’t answer to the whims of people like us. This world is driven by forces beyond our control. Providence, fate, god, whatever you want to call it. That’s what really runs the show.”

“I wonder, Professor…” Ontos mused as the two returned to glaring at each other. “Whether that is truly the answer you believe in.”

-

He swung his sword, bringing the column of light down on Indol. Straight down on Amalthus. It crackled around him, sparking up and striking the core in his forehead. All at once, his field around Mythra and the others faded.

“I can move.” She confirmed. A moment later, Rex cut the column of light off. He staggered a little, nearly falling to his knees. Mythra reached out to steady him.

“I’m alright.” He said. “I… I won’t let him get away with this anymore.” He looked back at Amalthus’s projection. “What you did isn’t the Architect’s will at all. You’ve just been manipulating people for your own selfish ends. But that ends today. You can leave stopping Jin and Malos to us, but when we’re done, we’re kicking your arse too.”

-

“Are they inside?” Patroka asked.

“Yes.” Akhos replied. “Soon, Malos will activate Aion. As long as we can hold this position, then victory is ours.”

“We’ve got to go all out then.” Patroka turned back to her console. “Mik, target those towers.”

“Roger.” Mikhail’s voice replied. He pressed a few buttons, and the Blade Bots changed targets. Every available one flew up and began to gather around one of the towers that were generating the field. They fired their cannons, cutting into its base. Slowly, the tower began to fall over.

-

“Your Eminence!” One of the monks shouted. “The tower!” She stood in formation with the others around a large pool of the Titan’s ether. They were busy working to channel Amalthus’s signal into the towers’ field.

“At peace, Sister.” Amalthus said. “The field of effect is only a little reduced. The time has come.” He stretched out his hand. “Now we will exterminate the vermin! No soul alive may sully the Architect’s presence!”

His core glowed once again. In the distance, Mor Ardain lumbered forward. It stopped when it stood parallel with Indol and began to straighten up. Lights on its chest began to glow. A moment later, a blast of ether shot forth from those lights, striking the side of the World Tree.


	11. Chapter 9 - Rain

Amalthus set the shovel down and began his prayer. This was the last in a long line of Ardainian and Sthenosi troops he’d buried that day. He’d been conducting the last rites since dawn, shortly after the armies had moved on from the battlefield. One of his many duties as a missionary.

He finished the prayer and returned to the camp. Refugees of the recent conflict had begun to gather at the edge of the forest, relatively safe from the fighting around them. He could see a line of newcomers streaming in from further afield. Another battle he’d probably have to go attend to soon. For now, they needed looking after. He passed a pair of children playing between some of the tents and gave them a quick bow before meeting the procession. Immediately, he sought out the wounded.

There were less that he’d thought, and some of the other missionaries had already begun attending to them. Still, he couldn’t sit by and do nothing. He found an untreated soldier, laying on a stretcher, and began bandaging the man’s wounds. He’d taken a bad blow to the head. One of his eyes had been crushed.

“Thank you, father.” One of the refugees carrying the man said.

“I am no Quaestor, my brother.” Amalthus replied. “I am but a humble mouthpiece of the Architect.”

“Still, thank you. We’ve been marching for days. We were worried he wouldn’t make it.”

“You’re safe now.” Amalthus smiled. He tightened the last of the bandages. “I’ve stopped the bleeding for now, but he’ll need more treatment soon.” He straightened up and pointed over to one of the tents. “Take him there, someone will come by to look at him soon.” The two refugees carrying the soldier nodded and did as they were told.

“Thank you.” He could hear the soldier croak, almost drowned out by the din of the newcomers. Amalthus did his best to return the man’s smile as he moved on. It wasn’t often he was thanked for his work, but on days like this he never felt he deserved it. All he was doing was putting off the inevitable for a little while.

Amalthus did his best to clear his head as he moved onto the next wounded refugee. The dark thoughts didn’t do him any good, and he had a sermon to prepare for later that afternoon. Even if he harbored doubts, he couldn’t afford to let them show. He was a member of the Praetorium. He had to remain a strong guide for the faithful. He was a mouthpiece of the Architect.

-

Amalthus took a stroll through the forest to clear his head. The sermon had gone well enough, but some people could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He needed to be stronger. After a while, he found himself wandering up to the cabin of a family that lived nearby. They’d offered everything they had to help Amalthus and the other missionaries set up the camp when the war first broke out. The woman held a deep faith and was more learned of the scriptures than most of his teachers in seminary. She might be able to offer him some guidance.

He forgot all of this in an instant when he heard the child crying. He dropped his staff and broke into a run, sprinting up the hill to the house. The door had been broken off its hinges. Inside, the husband lay face down in a pool of his own blood. The wife was a short distance away, slumped over her baby’s crib. The child was crying at the top of her lungs. A few feet away, a soldier was rummaging through the couple’s belongings. It was the man whose life Amalthus had saved, his head still wrapped in bandages. He turned around as he heard Amalthus enter.

“Ah, father.” The soldier said, hiding an object behind his back. “Perfect timing. Someone’s attacked this family. I’ve been looking for-” The soldier took a step toward Amalthus. He strode forward as well, Minoth’s dagger in hand. He plunged it into the soldier’s face before he could react.

“There is no need.” Amalthus spat. “Justice has been delivered.” He withdrew the knife and let the man fall to the ground. He turned and retrieved the child from her crib. She couldn’t stay here. Someone in the camp would have to look after her. He’d return after that was settled to bury the couple.

Instead of going back to the camp, however, Amalthus found himself at the edge of a cliff. He couldn’t bring himself to go on any longer. Nothing he did could change anything. Nothing anyone did could save humanity from its own destructive urges. For a moment, he considered jumping. But he didn’t have it in himself. Instead, he looked down at the child. She would grow up in a world of pain and sorrow. Her struggle, and her suffering, would amount to nothing in the end. The least he could do was free her from that. Slowly, he stretched out his hand and let her fall.

“Amalthus.” He heard a voice behind him. His Blade, Minoth. One of the Praetorium’s initial, doomed forays into mastering Flesh Eater technology. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I found the bodies. What did you do?”

“I arrived too late.” Amalthus replied. “I could not save them. It is such a cruel world we live in, don’t you think?”

“Where is the child, Amalthus?”

“In Indol, there are a great many paintings depicting all manner of hells. But I think real hell… might be closer to something like this.”

“Where is the child?”

“Is this truly the world the Architect ordained for us? Are we truly going to wait around for him to save us? I-”

“Where is she?!” Minoth grabbed Amalthus by the collar.

“I’ve discovered my purpose, you see. The Architect will not save us from ourselves. We must do that. And I have saved her. She’s gone to join him. She’s free from-” Minoth struck him across the face.

“You disgust me.” He spat, throwing Amalthus to the ground.

“I am the Architect’s servant.” Amalthus replied. “And I will save them from themselves.”

-

“Your Majesty!” The Grand Marshall shouted, running to Niall’s side. He helped the Emperor stand as the lights began to turn back on. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Niall brushed him off. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure, but-” He stopped. He withdrew a device from his pocket. Text scrolled across a small screen. A report. “It appears the Titan released a vast amount of energy from its chest. Temperatures in the capital surged nearly two degrees as a result, and they’re not steadying. On the somewhat brighter side, we’ve managed to confirm our current position.”

“Yes, Grand Marshall, I can see.” Niall said, looking out his throne room’s window. The branches of the World Tree loomed overhead. The room shook as Mor Ardain reared its head back, a roar echoing out from the metal plates on its face. Light began to gather on its chest again. The room’s lights resumed flickering.

“Your Majesty, if Mor Ardain loses any more energy, we’ll-”

“The Titan will die. I’m aware.” Niall leaned over his desk and began to think for a moment. “We’re out of time. Issue a Titan-wide evacuation order. All military vessels, including the royal fleet, are to begin taking people and supplies to Gormott immediately. We need to save as many as possible.”

“You first, sire!”

“I will leave when my people are safe. Go.”

“I…” The Grand Marshall hesitated for a moment. He gave a salute. “Yes, Your Majesty!” He ran to begin issuing orders. The second he left, Niall nearly collapsed into his throne.

“Well Mòrag…” He sighed. “If you’re up there, we’re out of time. Please… Save our people.”

-

The Marsanes shook as Mor Ardain’s second shot glanced off its armor and struck the World Tree. Electricity sparked from the stations around Akhos and Patroka.

“He’s summoning Titans now?” Akhos asked. “Jin and Malos better get a move on.”

“More incoming!” Patroka shouted, just as the visual returned to her monitor. Below them, Uraya broke the surface of the Cloud Sea. The Titan opened its mouth and let out a roar that echoed across the battlefield. Nodes along the side of its snout began to light up. A dozen blasts tore out from them, peppering the Marsanes and the side of the World Tree. Blade Bots and Indoline monks alike fell in the resulting explosions.

“This is madness. Does he mean to gather all the Titans in one place?”

“Akhos! Patroka!” Mikhail’s voice crackled over the speakers. “You two go keep Jin and Malos safe! We need to prepare for the worst!”

“What about Indol?!” Patroka shouted. “They’re gathering Titans from-”

“I’ll deal with it!”

“Deal with it?” Akhos asked. “Alone? Don’t be a fool.”

“I’ll be fine. I put this all together in the first place, remember? I can control everything from here. Besides…” He looked back at Lora. “I’m not exactly alone here.”

“Mik…” Patroka said. “Come on, get real.”

“Go. And do what I can’t.” The three of them were silent for a moment.

“Fine.” Akhos said, running up the stairs to the exit. “Patroka, let’s hurry!”

“This is so stupid.” She shook her head but ran after him anyway.

“Patroka!” Mikhail shouted just as she was about to leave. “In case I don’t make it out, I love you.”

“You’d better not go dying on me.” She betrayed a small smile. “You need to make it back alive so I can punch you for saying that.” With that, she left.

“I’m looking forward to it.” He smiled back. As soon as he saw them step foot onto the World Tree, he pressed a button on his console. The Marsanes began to shake around him. He looked up at the image on Indol on the screen in front of him.

“You old fool.” He spat. “Here I come!”

-

“My Queen!” Naddie shouted. “We need to get you somewhere safe!”

“Where would we go?” Raqura asked, tearing her eyes away from the scene of the battle far in front of her. “Indol, Mor Ardain, Uraya… They’ve all gathered here. This fighting is not something we can escape.”

“That’s not the only thing! Mor Ardain has launched their fleets! They’re on approach!”

“Of all the times…” Queen Raqura sighed. “What is that man thinking?”

“Trying to grab power in the chaos.” Reez offered. “Use this… Situation to conquer us while our backs are turned. We’re ready to mobilize our forces at any time.”

“That would be a very bad idea.” Yew said. “Emperor Niall wouldn’t violate the treaty so recklessly. Whatever’s going on out there, he’s not going to attack us.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Queen Raqura asked.

“I’ll fight them off myself, if it comes to it. But I’m not wrong.”

“Very well. Put our troops on standby, but do not fire a single shot until the enemy engages. And let us pray this crisis passes without the need for further violence.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty.” Zuo said. “Indol is out in full force. I don’t think our prayers are going to do us much good.”

“What do you mean?”

“That energy coming off its back. That must be what called the Titans here. Whatever’s going on, you can bet Indol is the cause of it. Mor Ardain might not want a war, but there’s a good chance the Praetorium is going to bring the fight to us, sooner or later.”

-

Uraya’s blast struck the World Tree, detonating just below where Rex and the others were running. The platform they were running on exploded, throwing them forward. Zeke activated the Eye and summoned a wave of clouds from below, catching some of the people falling. Roc began firing blasts of wind ether to knock others back onto the nearest platform. Pandoria, however, managed to slip through both nets. Zeke fired his sword into the side of the World Tree and, keeping the blade clenched in his teeth, dove after her. The second he caught her, he held the handle up and pulled them to safety.

The wave of clouds that caught everyone lifted them up level with the destroyed platform and began to solidify, slowly turning into a stone pillar and pushing everyone out of it. Zeke set Pandoria down and pulled his sword out of the wall just as it finished.

“It does that too.” He smirked.

“Showoff.” Nia muttered.

“Uraya’s here too.” Rex noted. “Amalthus is gathering Titans. Sooner or later, this battle is going to start putting innocents in danger.”

“My brother is smart enough to begin evacuations.” Mòrag said. “I’m sure Queen Raqura is as well. At least Torna hasn’t begun targeting them yet.”

“About that.” Roc said. “You might want to take a look.” He motioned up to the Marsanes.

It separated from the World Tree and flew toward Indol. As it did, parts of it began to move. The primary engines swung down while the main cannons twisted to attach to segmented sections that folded out of the interior. The prow swung up, as did the main body of the ship, spinning past each other and forming a loose humanoid shape. The secondary engines formed a ridge of spines down the Marsanes’s back, while the primary engines formed the legs. The main cannons were the arms, and arches swung up from the shoulders to support the secondary artillery. The bridge folded back and up, forming a humanoid head that locked its gaze onto Indol.

The Marsanes shot forward, swinging its cannon-fist into the side of Indol’s head. Instantly, both it and Mor Ardain fired ether blasts at the machine. The Marsanes generated shields in its palms, blocking the strikes. The impact nevertheless drove it back toward the World Tree. It changed targets, firing a blast from its fist straight into Mor Ardain’s chest.

“Let’s get moving.” Zeke said. “The longer we wait, the longer we’re playing catchup with Jin and Malos.”

“We’re just going to let them duke it out here?” Rex asked.

“We can’t help them.” Mòrag replied. “We need to focus on what we can do, and right now that’s stopping Jin. We’ll worry about Amalthus after that’s done.”

-

“Your Eminence!” One of the magistrates shouted. “We’re receiving a broadcast from the warship.”

“The lost technology of old Torna.” Amalthus muttered, watching a large projected screen flicker to life on the far wall. “How astounding that it still works.”

“Surprised?” Mikhail asked, his face appearing, if somewhat grainy, on the screen. “They never finished it before Malos sank the place, but I’ve had a lot of time on my hands. There are still a few of us hanging on, after all.”

“A survivor.” Amalthus chuckled. “Do you wish to offer your surrender?”

“I don’t think I’d get much mercy if I did.” Mikhail tapped the core on his chest.

“A Flesh Eater. You followed him down that dark path.” Amalthus smiled. “In that case…” His core glowed, and he concentrated the field around the Marsanes. It washed over the warship, but Mikhail didn’t move a muscle.

“Oh, nice try!” He smirked. “But that not gonna work on me! Your power can’t restrict humans.”

“But your core-”

“I’m like you, Amalthus. A Blade Eater.”

“Impossible!” Amalthus spat. “That technology is not known outside the Praetorium.”

“That doesn’t make you the only one. Or have you forgotten the lengths you went to before implanting your Core Crystal?” Mikhail’s smirk twisted into a grin as he watched the realization dawn on Amalthus’s face.

-

Amalthus stood at the edge of the ether pool. Around him, a dozen monks chanted, controlling the flow into the basin. A young child floated in it, a Core Crystal resting on her chest. Slowly, he contorted the ether to flow through both the crystal and her body, drawing the two together. They got halfway through the merger before the flow destabilized. The crystal shot into the air, tearing out a portion of the child’s chest. Another failure.

Amalthus sighed as the monks dragged her body away. He wiped the core down and looked over the latest crop of test subjects Adenine had brought from Spessia. None had yet survived the procedure, but… His eyes narrowed on a blond child. He had been brought in with the primal core Adenine had informed him of. He would make a fitting subject for the procedure.

-

“The refugee.” Amalthus growled. “From Spessia. The one that arrived with Fan la Norne’s core.”

“Haze!” Mikhail spat back. “Her name was Haze, you bastard! Don’t ever forget it!”

“I had you all disposed of once the procedure was finished.”

“You tried. But some of us weren’t about to die that easily.” The Marsanes collided with Indol again, and its hand gripped the side of the Titan’s neck. The head found itself level with the refugee camp near one of the ports. On a monitor, Mikhail could see people fleeing in all directions as fires spread and Blade Bots battled the Praetorium forces on the ground.

“You didn’t even evacuate them?!” Mikhail shouted. “You monster!” He swung Indol around by the neck, slamming it into the base of the World Tree.

“Yet you still fight.” Amalthus observed. “Does human life mean so little to you, in your newfound immortality?”

“I don’t want to hear that from the man who stooped to using human shields! I don’t want to do this, but I can’t back down from this fight! Not now!” He brought the Marsanes’s hand around to rest against Indol’s chest. He prepared to fire a blast into it when one struck the Marsanes from behind. Below them both, Genbu emerged from the Cloud Sea, discharging electricity from its head as it recoiled from the blast. Indol took the chance to slam its head back into the Marsanes, driving it straight into a barrage from Uraya. It pushed off from the World Tree and went after the warship, and the two continued to fight, even as their respective fleets began to fall around them.

-

“Dad!” Zeke shouted, noticing Genbu’s appearance. “Pandy, can you-”

“It’s no use.” She shook her head. “My words can’t reach him like this.”

“What the hell is the Praetor thinking? At this rate, he’ll destroy Alrest before Malos does.”

“Not if we can stop the Titans.” Rex said. “If we take out those towers on Indol’s back, then we might have a chance.”

“I can’t hit them.” Mythra said. “They’re moving around too much, and the ether concentration on the battlefield is throwing off my foresight.”

“Maybe if we get closer-”

“Then we’ll be at risk of falling under his control again.”

“Not all of us.” Poppi said. “Poppi is Artificial Blade. Nothing Amalthus can control.”

“Poppi needs rest.” Tora said. “Can’t risk activating machine until it’s removed from Poppi’s systems.”

“It worth a shot. How many will die if Poppi does nothing? Poppi cannot let that happen.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Rex said. “It’s a long shot, but it just might work. Mythra, can you activate the machine in Poppi’s chest?”

“That’s the exact opposite of a good idea.” Mythra said.

“I never said it was a good idea. Now can you do it?”

“I suppose.”

“Good. How long does it normally take for a Blade to regrow their weapons?”

“A minute.” Dromarch said. “Maybe two. Less, if there’s a high concentration of the right ether.”

“Tora know what Rex-rex thinking.” Tora said. “Idea might work, but… Would require lots of luck. And help from Mythra.”

“What do you need me to do?” She asked.

“Activate only attack instinct of machine. Integrate with Poppi’s drive functions. Partition or destroy other segments. Would effectively give Poppi control over machine’s appendages and abilities but could damage personality complex in process.”

“It could kill her.” Mythra said.

“Poppi is willing to take risk.” Poppi said.

“And if you go out of control? If this machine takes over?”

“Mythra promised not to let that happen. So Poppi not worried.” She grabbed onto Mythra’s shoulders. “Please. Let Poppi do this.”

“Alright.” Mythra sighed. She switched into her true form. Tora opened Poppi’s chest, and Mythra placed her hand against the machine.

-

_This unit is the Herald-class anti-Artifice system designation Esrafil developed by the Saviorite Liberation Army. This unit’s primary task is to liberate the holy Zohar from the control of Aoidos. This unit’s secondary task is to assimilate and destroy Aoidos Artifice-class defense systems. Why does host impair completion of primary and secondary tasks?_

“Mean Esrafil hurt friends. Almost hurt Masterpon. Masterpon is most important person in whole world. Poppi cannot let you hurt him.”

_Irrelevant. This unit must liberate the holy Zohar. It is still contained atop the First Low Orbit Station Rhadamanthus._

“The World Tree.” Mythra’s voice said.

“Esrafil wants to climb World Tree too?” Poppi asked.

_World Tree is unfamiliar to this unit. But… is host’s goal to reach the First Low Orbit Station?_

“Not until we stop the fighting.”

_And if this fighting will cease, host will take this unit to the holy Zohar?_

“As long as you don’t hurt friends. Yes. But Poppi needs to borrow your power to make that happen.”

_Very well. This unit will oblige._

-

The tendrils bound up at Poppi’s neck shot out, latching onto everyone’s weapons. They drew them into Poppi’s body and began making alterations. More tendrils formed and latched onto parts of the World Tree, grabbing raw material for the transformation. She grew taller, matching Mythra in height and build. Her outfit changed from a maid’s to a sleek black suit. Bandoliers were strapped to her thighs and sides. Red plates of armor accented her heels, knees, wrists, and shoulders, and a red scarf fluttered from her neck. A small pair of horns crept up the side of her face, and her hair grew longer. She cast her gauntlets to Tora and formed a new weapon in her hands. It was a red mechanical sword, with sections folding up around a central cannon barrel. She spun it in her hands, and its parts flipped out to form a spear, an axe, and a hammer before finally settling back on a sword.

“Behold!” Tora shouted. “Poppi Omega!”

“Poppi utilized old designs stored in memory drive.” She said. “How does Poppi look?”

“About ready to kick some ass!” Zeke shouted. “Do you think you can take down those pillars?”

“Leave it to Poppi.” She crouched down. A set of jets on her back flared to life.

“Before you go.” Rex held out his sword. “Take this too. Mythra can make another.”

“Poppi cannot.”

“I insist.”

“No, Poppi actually cannot.” She shook her head. “Esrafil refuses to attach to Rex’s sword. Too dangerous.”

“Worth a shot.” Rex sighed. “Having two Aegises on hand would have been handy.” He sheathed his sword. “Good luck. We’ll meet you up by where that warship dropped Jin and Malos off.”

“Roger that!” Poppi crouched back down. She looked to Tora, who gave her a thumbs up, and took off. As she approached Indol, it stopped firing at the Marsanes and began firing blasts at her. She wove between them and slammed into the side of one of the towers. One hand dug into its side to steady herself while the other reared back her sword. It shifted form into a hammer as she swung. It struck the tower, and the weapon’s barrel emerged from the head. It fired a blast of concentrated ether into the tower’s base, lancing out the other side and striking another tower. She pulled the hammer back and changed it into a spear, driving it into the hole. It changed into a sword as she swung it, severing the tower’s base and sending it tumbling into the Cloud Sea.

Before she could jump to the next tower, however, something struck her from behind. She tumbled into the Inner Praetorium’s courtyard and barely had enough time to get to her feet before it came after her again. It was a Blade. Most of her body was constructed out of paper bound by a series of large leather straps. It formed a loose waistcoat behind her, but didn’t fill out her feet or her chest, which were held together by pure ether energy. Two large books were bound to her waist by long chains, and she held a scythe in her hands.

She swung the scythe at Poppi’s neck, but Poppi blocked the attack with her sword. The blade bent around the scythe’s head and extended at her attacker’s face. The scythe’s haft split in half, growing a halberd from the break. She swung it at Poppi’s chest in the same instant she drove her scythe up, dragging Poppi’s sword away from her head. Poppi knocked the halberd aside with her free hand and kicked the Blade in the stomach, driving her back.

“Adenine.” Amalthus’s image manifested next to the Blade. “Wrap this up quickly.”

“Her ability’s the same as mine.” Adenine said, smiling at Poppi. “Do me a favor and restrict her, yeah? I want to copy down her combat data.”

“She is artificial. My powers won’t affect her.”

“I guess I’ll- Hey!” Adenine boosted herself into the air with jets of wind as Poppi took off toward the other tower she’d damaged. “Get back here!” Poppi slammed into the far side of the tower and fired her jets, cracking the base and sending the tower crashing down on top of Adenine. The Blade blasted herself aside with wind ether. Poppi immediately fired a shot from the end of her sword, striking Adenine’s leg. It scattered into dozens of sheets. It hadn’t finished reforming before Poppi slammed her spear into Adenine’s chest, driving her back into the courtyard.

Adenine swung for Poppi’s head, and Poppi ducked low. She extended a pair of spikes from her spear’s head, keeping it from sliding out of Adenine’s chest, and began to spin. She retracted the spikes and threw Adenine into the side of the remaining tower. Her spear changed into a cannon, and she prepared to fire a blast at Adenine. The spear Adenine had left on the ground sprung up next to her and swung at her face. Wind ether wrapped around it, controlling its movements.

Poppi reached out and grabbed the spear with her tendrils, breaking it down. Another one formed on her shoulder and fired at Adenine. She deflected the projectile with a blast of wind and shot back toward Poppi. Her scythe’s blade split in half as she swung it, sliding down the half to where Poppi’s head ducked. It tore through her cheek. Instantly a tendril grabbed onto it, pulling the scythe out from Adenine’s grasp. It stuck to Poppi’s face, slowly assimilating with her.

Adenine’s hands separated from her wrists and she threw her arms back, clamping them around her books. She swung a punch at Poppi’s head. Poppi swerved to the side and changed her spear into a scythe, swinging it up through Adenine’s hollow chest and out her neck. Adenine reached out and grabbed Poppi’s head, attempting to crush it in a blast of wind. The explosion between her palms knocked Poppi back but didn’t destroy her. Before Poppi could rush at her again, however, a Blade Bot tackled Adenine from behind.

“Go!” Mikhail’s voice echoed through it. “Destroy those towers! I’ve got a score to settle with her!” More Blade Bots piled on top of Adenine as she thrashed around, pinning her limbs and driving their weapons through her chest.

“Let Poppi’s sisters go!” Poppi shouted at the Blade Bot.

“What? Are you… The Artificial Blade that hangs around with that Nopon?”

“Poppi has a name! Poppi’s family do too! Stop making them fight like this!”

“I don’t have time for this…” Mikhail sighed. “Take out the tower or don’t, but I’m done here.” The Blade Bots exploded, scattering Adenine’s remains throughout the courtyard. The shockwave also threw Poppi back into the remaining tower. She tore herself out of it and swung through it with her scythe, knocking it over. Amalthus’s ether field dissipated around her.

She screamed and shot toward the Marsanes. She burst through its side and began tearing into everything in sight. It didn’t take her long to break into the chamber Mikhail was standing in.

“You’re not helping.” He said, barely taking his eyes off the screens to glance back at her. “If you stop me from holding them back, Amalthus’s army will tear through your friends.”

“Friends will be just fine.” Poppi spat back. “Poppi here about family. Release Poppi’s sisters, now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Artificial Blades. You force them to fight. Free them, now.”

“I can’t…” He sighed. “There’s nothing to free, kid. They aren’t like you. No personality matrix, bare bones attack instincts. If I stop issuing orders, they’ll just shut down and plunge straight into the Cloud Sea. That doesn’t sound like much of a family to me.”

“Lila told Poppi to free sisters! So Poppi will free them!” She pointed her spear at Mikhail. “Poppi will not ask again!”

“This is such a pain.” He groaned. He glanced back at Lora. “But… I guess I understand where you’re coming from. Still, I can’t just-” Indol fired a blast, catching Mikhail off guard. Not at the Marsanes, however, but at the World Tree. The platform he’d dropped Jin and Malos off at. The platform Rex and the others were standing on.

-

Patroka swung the end of her glaive down on Mòrag’s head. She caught it with her swords, and Aegaeon swung at Partoka’s exposed side. Patroka kicked the ground, and the metal of the platform deformed, lurching up and putting a wall around her and Mòrag. Roc shot down at her from overhead, and she swung the end of her glaive at him, simultaneously bringing the blade up at Mòrag’s head. Mòrag parried the swing with one sword and drove the other at Patroka’s head. She jumped over the lunge and swiped a kick at Mòrag’s chest as she caught Roc’s scythes with the end of her glaive.

Nia knocked Patroka out of the metal enclosure she’d formed the moment her chest came above the walls, whipping her into the side of the World Tree with a tendril of water. Akhos fired an arrow at her in between blocking strikes from Zeke, but Dromarch knocked it from the sky with a sonic blast. Zeke drove his sword’s blade into Akhos’s bow, knocking him back. Pandoria took the handle from Zeke as he rushed forward to punch Akhos in the jaw. Just as Akhos dodged around the punch and kicked Zeke back, the sword blade sprung up from the ground and knocked him flat, returning to Pandoria.

Patroka screamed. Brighid, Roc, and Aegaeon were trying to hold down her limbs, and she threw them all off. She gave off waves of ether that began to warp the surrounding metal. She shot forward and swung at Zeke, but Rex met her strike instead. Nia pulled one of her tendrils back from keeping Akhos submerged and struck out at Patroka. She jumped back and bisected the water with her glaive. As she swung, shards of solid rock formed in the air and shot out at Rex and Nia. Tora rolled forward and put up his shield to block the attack, which gave Patroka enough time to slip away. Right into Aegaeon’s ice field.

Her movements slowed to a crawl, and she stumbled over her own feet, falling to her knees. She tried to stand back up, throwing out a reckless amount of ether to try and beat back Aegaeon’s ice. Brighid struck her with a blast of fire before she could. The temperature change shocked her muscles, and her limbs seized up. A moment later, a blanket of clouds surrounded everything but her head. It solidified around her into a substance resembling ice.

Akhos tore his way out of Nia’s water prison, firing blasts of lightning at Pandoria who was still tormenting him with the mobile sword blade. He stumbled over to Patroka and prepared to fire an arrow to free her. Another blanket of clouds dropped on him from above and solidified in an instant, trapping everything but his head and one of his feet.

“And stay put, yeah?” Zeke asked, getting to his feet. “I hate using the Eye of Shining Justice so willy nilly like this, but we’ve got places to be.”

“The eye of what?” Akhos asked.

“Fight fair!” Patroka shouted. “Let me out of this and I’ll tear you to pieces!”

“Quiet.” Mòrag said, sheathing her swords. “When this is all over, I’ll be taking you into custody. For now, just-” The Titans immediately stopped firing as the last tower fell. Zeke and Rex let out a combined cheer. Mòrag allowed herself to crack a smile.

“Way to go Poppi!” Tora shouted. “Tora knew you could do it!”

“What’s she doing?” Nia asked, watching Poppi blast herself into the Marsanes. “Doesn’t she know we’ve got to get a move on?”

“Bastards!” Patroka shouted. “I won’t let you go after Mikhail like that.”

“She’s got something in mind.” Rex said, doing his best to ignore her as she kept shouting. “Roc, could you go back her up? The field’s down, and she’ll need help if she’s going up against the rest of Torna.”

“Poppi probably wants to free sisters.” Tora said. “That was Lila’s last request.”

“We do not have the time.” Mòrag said. “As much as it pains me to say, we cannot prioritize this above stopping Jin and Malos.”

“I agree.” Rex sighed. “As much as I hate to say it, we’ll have to add that to the list of things to get around to once we’re done here. Roc, could you-”

“Incoming!” Mythra shouted. She shifted to her true form and threw up an ether shield around the group as Indol fired a blast at them. The rest of the Blades threw up their own shields as well. Dromarch jumped in front of Nia.

The Marsanes lurched in front of the blast just before it struck, blocking the shot with its own ether shield. It hovered above Rex and the others, staring down at them as the dust settled.

“What are you hanging around here for?” Mikhail’s voice echoed out from speakers on the Marsanes’s head. “Go!”

“That voice…” Nia muttered. “Mik?! That you?!”

“You’re chasing Jin and Malos, right?” Mikhail turned back to Poppi. “I said go!”

“Not until-” Poppi started.

“I heard you the first time, kid.” Mikhail sighed. He manifested his fan and threw it at her feet. “A parting gift.” She grabbed it with one of her tendrils and began to integrate it. One of the blades detonated, knocking Poppi into the wall of Blades. A partition came up around her, trapping her with them. A moment later, the Blades shot out of the Marsanes’s head, contained in long tubes. The Blade Bots changed course, grouping up to catch the tubes and extract the Blades as they fell. Poppi tore her way out of the tube, but the Blade Bots paid her no mind. They simply extracted the Blades and flew into the air, leaving the battlefield. They settled on nearby Titans and went still. Mikhail took a chord out from the console and attached it to his chest, wiring himself into the engine in their place.

“Your family’s free now.” Mikhail said, pushing the Marsanes off the World Tree. “Make sure you take good care of them.”

“Mik!” Patroka shouted. “Get back here and free us, damnit!”

“Oh come on.” Mikhail laughed. “You don’t seriously need my help with that, do you? You’ll be fine.”

“Asshole!”

“What’s the angle?!” Nia continued to shout. “What kind of ploy is this?!”

“No ploy.” Mikhail shrugged. “I just… I was angry. At the world. At humans. At Mythra. At Amalthus. And at myself, a little. For not being strong enough to protect the people I loved. But there were people I loved, before all of this. When I look at you guys, it reminds me of them. I wonder… If the people I loved were still around, would things be different? And then I start doubting myself.”

“Mikhail!” Mythra shouted. “I’m… I’m sorry!”

“I know…” He sighed. “We’ve really made a mess of things, haven’t we?”

“Traitor!” Akhos shouted. “Get back here! You can’t let them go after Jin!”

“If you cared about Jin, you’d stop all this madness.” Mikhail said. “You’re just looking for a place to vent your anger, and I won’t be a part of that anymore.”

“Mik, you-” Patroka started.

“I’m sorry.” He said. He wiped a tear from his eye. “It looks like I’ll have to break our deal.” He turned to Rex. “Have you found it?”

“Me?” Rex asked.

“Yes. Have you found your answer?”

“I… I think so.”

“I see…” Mikhail laughed. “Well, then.” The Marsanes began to turn around. “I’ll leave Jin to you. Now get after him already! And tell him your answer!”

The Marsanes began to rocket toward Indol as Rex and the others turned to head inside the World Tree, leaving Akhos and Patroka behind. He was still screaming at Mikhail to come back, calling him a traitor. She’d fallen dead quiet.

Indol fired a barrage of shots at the Marsanes. The remains of the Praetorium fleet gathered around it, delivering yet more blows. The whole warship shook but pressed on regardless.

“Amalthus!” Mikhail screamed, his legs beginning to shake from the strain the engine was putting on his core. “Time to end this!” The Marsanes slammed into Indol, wrapping around its neck. It drove a hand through the Titan’s chest, grabbed it, and threw it into the World Tree.

“Fool!” Amalthus’s visage shouted on the screen in front of him. “Who do you take me for?” Indol’s head craned around, and its mouth opened. A blast of ether gathered between its jaws as the Marsanes swung its other fist at Indol’s head.

“Forgive us, Jin.” Mikhail said, smiling as the light of the ether blast engulfed the Marsanes. “We’re going on ahead.” The Marsanes’s fist struck Indol’s jaws just as the Titan unleashed its blast. It struck the Marsanes’s engine dead on. A pulse of light flared out, and the warship detonated in an explosion that engulfed the Titan’s head. It didn’t even have time to cry out before it was ripped apart.

-

“What do you see?” Amalthus asked, motioning out at the refugee camp. Zeke didn’t hesitate in his reply.

“What do I see? I see a bunch of people struggling to stay alive.” He sighed. “The same as almost everyone else on Alrest right now.”

“I see.” Amalthus thought for a moment. “Have you ever taken a person’s life?”

“Can’t say I have.” Zeke shook his head. “I’ve never seen the need for it, myself.”

“Oh?”

“Why does anyone kill others? Because they’re in your way? Because you can’t bear the sight of ‘em? In the end, you kill because you’re weak. But I’m not weak, so I don’t need to kill anyone. And I don’t mean physically, yeah? I mean in here.” He pointed a thumb toward his heart.

“I suppose that makes me weak, then.” Amalthus shrugged. He returned to watching the refugees. “But that weakness is why I’m standing here today. It is how I have helped these people.”

“Killing doesn’t help anyone.”

“It helped me survive. It has no doubt helped these people survive as well. Not everyone is blessed with the strength needed to live without such detestable violence.”

“A killer who hates killing.” Zeke chuckled.

“What I hate is this world. This suffering. The violence is simply a byproduct of a rotten system.”

“Some might say the Architect you worship created that system. How do you have faith in a god like that?”

“It was not the Architect that inflicted this suffering upon them.” Amalthus sighed. “Humans made this hell. The Architect has charged me with fixing it.”

-

“Chum!” Zeke shouted as they ran through the halls of the World Tree. “I’ve got a question!”

“Shoot.” Rex said.

“Do you like this world?”

“Uh, what?”

“Just give me a straight answer.”

“There’s room for improvement.” Rex shrugged. “War comes to mind. There’s way too much of that going around right now. But that’s not really the world, per se. More like the people in it. On its own, the world’s a pretty breathtaking place.”

“What about us, then?” Zeke asked. Rex and Mythra immediately stopped in their tracks. Nia came to a halt just behind Zeke.

“Ah!” She smiled. “I think Shellhead’s about to propose.” Mythra took a step back and immediately switched to Pyra. Rex floundered for words for a moment.

“Poor timing.” Mòrag sighed.

“Zeke, I’m flattered, but-”

“Fleabag.” Zeke spat. “I meant how do you feel about _us_?” He motioned around. “People.”

“Titan’s reach.” Rex and Pyra both sighed in relief. “You had me worried there for a second.”

“You should be so lucky.” Zeke scoffed. “You’re not my type anyway. Now what’s your answer?”

“That’s a tough one.” Rex folded his arms and thought for a moment. “People are… Well, some of them are hard to deal with. People like Bana, only looking out for themselves. People like Bradley who enjoy hurting others. There’s lots of room for improvement with them too, but… Then there’s also people like you guys. And the Garfont Mercenaries. And Corrine, and all the people in Fonsett. And the Emperor too. Overall? I guess you have to take the bad with the good. And try to work to improve things where you can. So yeah, I like people well enough. After all, if I hated people, I’d have to hate myself too. And I’m not keen on doing that again.”

“I see!” Zeke laughed. “Well, that’s you all over. I’m relieved.”

“What are you on about?”

“Suppose a guy who hated himself had the power that you do?” Zeke began running again. “If someone like that were to meet the Architect, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wished for the whole world to disappear.”

-

Jin stopped at the base of the elevator shaft Malos was prying open. He heard a rumbling in the distance, and he thought he could see Lora standing on the other side of the chamber for a moment.

“So this is where it ends.” He muttered.

“You say something?” Malos asked.

“Nothing.” Jin shook his head. He stepped back further into the chamber they stood in. A large, high-vaulted rectangular chamber, with an elevator at the far end. “I’ll stay here. You go on ahead.”

“Not feeling up for it? Too bad. We promised we’d be in this together, remember?”

“We did, once.” Jin sighed. “But… I’ve got to wait.”

“For the boy?”

“And I’m going to watch. I’ll be watching until the end. But I don’t think I can go any further. This is it for me.”

“Fine.” Malos sighed. He stepped into the elevator. “I’ll make sure you and Lora have a nice pair of front row seats for the end of the world.” He closed the doors and began his ascent. Jin turned back to face the door opposite him, where Rex would emerge. As he waited, his mind wandered back to the house he and Lora had found in the village. To the words written in the journal he’d found within. He’d fixated on those last words, as of late. He turned them over in his mind until the door opened.

“Where’s Malos?” Rex asked, coming to a stop in front of Jin.

“He went ahead.” Jin said.

“Well then, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting. For you.”

“Going to stop us going after Malos?” Nia asked.

“Perhaps…” Jin sighed and unfolded his arms. “I want to see for myself. If this world has any will of its own, who will it choose? You or Malos?”

“Then you should let us pass.” Mythra said, switching over from Pyra.

“That I cannot do.”

“Why not? You can barely stand as it is. If we fight now, you won’t survive.”

“You see right through me.” He smiled. “But still. I made a promise. I have to see it through.”

“Even if it means your death?” Rex asked.

“I suppose so. It looks like you were right about me after all. So what will it be? Will you release me from this pain? Or will Malos?”

“I won’t kill you.”

“I don’t think he’s listening anymore.” Zeke said. He drew his sword. “It doesn’t look like we’re getting past without a fight.”

“Don’t kill him.” Rex cautioned, drawing his own sword.

“I make no guarantees.” Mòrag said. “But I will do my best.”

“Enough!” Jin shouted. His armor glowed, morphing into his true form. He drew his sword. “Come at me!” A dozen spears of ice manifested around Jin, each firing at one of his attackers. Everyone scattered or deflected the shots, but the moment Aegaeon stopped moving a spike of ice tore up from the ground below him, knocking him back through the entrance. A wall of ice formed to block him out a moment later.

“Mòrag, get Aegaeon!” Rex shouted. He and Zeke rushed forward, running to either side of Jin. Jin struck out at Zeke first, moving just fast enough to close the distance before he could react. The Eye, however, reacted for him. A layer of stone lining his waistcoat turned to cloud and rushed forward, re-solidifying into a wall that blocked Jin’s strike the moment before it landed.

Zeke swung at Jin’s chest, the wall parting around his sword. Jin blocked the strike with his own but was thrown back. Poppi and Roc dropped on top of him. With a burst of speed, he jumped into the air, sliding past Roc’s scythes and striking him to the ground. Poppi, however, managed to change course in an instant and swing her sword around at Jin’s new location. It extended as she swung it, turning into a greataxe. He knocked it down, and she shot up at him, sliding one of the blades off the axe’s head and forming it into one of Mikhail’s fans. She swung it up at him, firing a thin stream of dark ether out of one of the blades. He fired a blast of ice from his shoulder to throw himself out of the way.

He had to jump again as soon as he landed to avoid a blast Rex fired at his feet. He fired another round of ice spears at Zeke and Rex. Pandoria and Mythra both put up shields, and Dromarch fired a jet of water back at him. Jin rolled to the side, and Nia came at him with her sword. He blocked her strike, and a wave of water rolled around him. He froze it with his own ether, putting a wall of ice up all around him and Nia. Rex fired a blast through that wall, striking Jin in the leg. Poppi shot through the hole as the blast faded, grabbing Jin and throwing him up into the ceiling. He landed in a crouch and shot back down, driving his sword through Poppi’s arm. Her tendrils tried to wrap around it, but the ice surrounding it froze them in place.

He kicked Nia aside as she leapt for Poppi and tore the sword from her arm. He rushed forward, aiming his sword for Rex’s head. Rex parried the strike and took a step back, forcing Jin to come after him again. Though he could barely keep up the assault, he drew enough of Jin’s attention that Roc could strike him with a blast of wind. It knocked him over, and instantly Zeke was on top of him. He swung his sword down at Jin’s face. Jin blocked the strike and formed a cloud of ice ether in the hand that held the sword’s handle. He fired it at Zeke, and the Eye automatically blocked it with the stone cloak. It changed form into a spear and lunged for Jin’s core. He sped himself up, kneeing Zeke in the gut and sliding his sword past Zeke’s defense.

A Biter crashed into the pair, sending them both flying. Zeke’s cloak took the brunt of the impact, but Jin was left exposed. Tora jumped at him, wielding his shield in one wing and one of Poppi’s gauntlets in the other. He drove the drill straight for Jin’s stomach. Jin met it with the tip of his sword and flicked it aside. Tora fired another biter into his chest the instant Jin parried the thrust. Jin was thrown back. He manifested a cloud of ice at Tora’s feet, freezing him in place. Poppi caught Jin in midair and pinned his limbs. Roc flew at him and tried to drive his scythes into Jin’s chest. Jin threw off a wave of compressed ether, blasting both Poppi and Roc into the chamber walls.

The instant Jin landed, the ground erupted with ice spikes. Dromarch pulled Nia out of the way, but Tora was thrown back when one struck his shield. In that same instant, the wall of ice Brighid had been melting burst, and Aegaeon flew through. Patroka charged in after him, swinging her glaive around wildly. Mòrag ducked beneath her swing and struck her in the chest. Brighid threw up a shield around her just before one of Akhos’s arrows struck her. Patroka swung the end of her glaive around and hit Mòrag in the leg. Aegaeon slammed a barrage of ice into her, knocking her back into the wall.

“Help Mòrag!” Rex shouted, running up to engage Jin. “I’ll deal with Jin.”

“If you’re sure.” Zeke shrugged. He tossed his sword to Pandoria and charged at Akhos, forming a pair of stone blades along his arms. Nia and Tora barely exchanged glances with Rex before following Zeke. Jin spread his ether out to fill the chamber and began manifesting yet more spikes.

“No you don’t.” Mythra grunted. She shifted into her true form and cast her own ether over the area. Abruptly, Jin’s ice broke apart. Jin pushed out again, slowing time as much as he could. Rex and Mythra kept pace with him, their ether field giving them the same benefit.

“The power to bend reality to your will.” Jin said, clashing swords with Rex. “I was granted a portion of that power when I ate Lora. It seems you can do far more with it than I. But that power comes from the Architect. Why wield it for mortals’ sake?”

“To get to Elysium, obviously.” Rex replied. The two increased in speed further as they exchanged blows.

“And then what? Open it up to humans? Share it out between them?”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Rex kicked Jin in the chest, knocking him back. The fields around them dissipated. “It’d certainly keep people from fighting, for a while.”

“Can’t you see where that leads?” Jin asked, staggering back to his feet. “Humans will turn Elysium into another Morytha, just like they did with Torna five hundred years ago.”

“I won’t let that happen!” Rex charged Jin again.

“And after you die? What then? Who will stop the inevitable?!”

“Isn’t that the reason you Blades exist?” Rex asked. Jin stopped for a moment. Rex struck the sword from his hand, and it clattered across the floor. Instead of finishing the fight, however, Rex deactivated his own sword. “When a person dies, that’s it for them. But their thoughts and memories will be passed on to someone else. Isn’t that the same with you Blades? Your past selves get passed down to someone else to become your new selves. Isn’t that how you’ve always lived?”

“We don’t have the luxury of choosing our next partner. We change as we’re passed down, influenced by the people who awaken us. Such a cycle couldn’t prevent the fall of Torna, how could it save Elysium?”

“Drivers influence their Blades, yes. But isn’t the reverse also true? Blades help the people around them. Then they become Titans and give birth to new life. Their will, and the will of their Drivers, lives on in that.” Rex lowered his sword. “It’s awesome. Enough to make me envious.”

“Envious? Of us?”

“So why do you exist? You, Pyra, Mythra… All Blades, really. Why did the Architect create these amazing people? I think I might know the answer, but… I’d still like to check with the man himself.”

“You believe this is the reason we exist?” Jin asked. He took a step forward. “Utter foolishness. Didn’t I already tell you there-” As he moved, some part of him gave out. With a grunt, he collapsed to his knees. Rex reached out to help him to his feet. One of Akhos’s arrows struck by his feet, knocking him aside before he could touch Jin. Akhos and Patroka ran up and closed ranks around Jin as Rex recovered.

“I won’t let you kill Jin.” Patroka spat. “I’ve lost too much today already.”

“Stand down… Patroka.” Jin wheezed.

“But-”

“It’s over. We’ve done… All that we have to do…”

“We can’t just-” Patroka stopped as she saw Akhos shaking his head. Slowly, Akhos lowered his bow. Patroka did the same.

“This is as far as we go.” Akhos said. “The rest is between them and Malos.”

“It doesn’t end here.” Patroka said. “Nia? Can your power heal Jin?”

“It’ll be temporary.” Nia said, slowly approaching the three. “But I’ll see what I can do. Mythra, can you give me a hand?”

“Let’s go check the Monoceros.” Akhos said, getting out of their way as Nia and Mythra began working on Jin. “There should be a spare ether chamber onboard.”

“Right.” Patroka de-manifested her glaive. “We’ll be right back, so don’t even-”

A blue, spear-tipped tendril tore out of the ground and through Patroka’s stomach.

“Patroka!” Akhos screamed. He ran at the tendril, switching to his scythe, but another one erupted at his feet and threw him back. More tore out of the ground around Patroka, hauling Amalthus up from the floor. His limbs were covered in Blade cores, his fingers had extended into long claws, and he has a large mass of crystal mounted on his chest and back. The tendrils connected to his back through the crystal, splaying out as they passed through it and forming a white armor over Amalthus’s body.

“You will climb no further.” Amalthus said. He reached forward and grabbed ahold of Patroka’s core. With one violent jerk, he tore it free from her chest and fed it to the crystal on his own. It pulsed once, and a new tendril began to form from Amalthus’s back.

“Amalthus?!” Zeke shouted. “What’s that thing he’s wearing?!”

“The culmination of my work! The end result of my cleansing procedure! Behold, the cores of countless Blades on the cusp of becoming Titans! Each one powerful! Rich with unparalleled data! This vessel will bring the Architect’s will to fruition!”

“You lunatic!” Jin spat. He tried to stand up, but his body wouldn’t let him.

“Who are you to decide the Architect’s will?” Mòrag asked, pointing her sword at Amalthus.

“Delusions of grandeur.” Dromarch said. “Perhaps the destruction of Indol pushed him over the edge.”

“It is no delusion!” Amalthus roared. “I am the Driver of the Aegis! And is it not the Aegis’s power to erase worthless things from existence?! Would you not call that the Architect’s very will?!”

“Pyra and Mythra aren’t like that!” Rex shouted back. He re-activated his sword.

“That isn’t the role of the Aegis.” Mythra said. “The Architect didn’t charge us with destroying the world. You did.” She pointed at Amalthus. “Your hatred tainted Malos with this desire, not the Architect.”

“So what?” Amalthus asked. “You’ve had your little trip around Alrest! You’ve even seen the state of Morytha! You know as well as I do that mankind will never change, no matter how many millennia pass! That is why the Architect charged me with-”

“You’re the one who won’t change.” Rex said. “That’s exactly why you hate those who try to! Why you destroyed the Tornans and tried to kill off the Titans!”

“I am an agent of the Architect’s will! My purpose is to elevate the worthy and restore this dying world to its former glory! The destruction of the unworthy is an inevitable consequence! What need have I to conform to mankind’s self-delusion, when my very purpose is to annihilate it?”

“You’re weak, old man.” Zeke spat. “The weakest of us all.” He drew his sword. “We aren’t going to let your hatred ruin everything we’ve worked for.”

-

Jin cut down the last of the Indoline monks in the room with one swift attack. They were dead before they could even try to fight back. With them gone, he turned his attention to the other people in the room. A pair of Blades hunched over in the corner. They had cloth wrappings over their cores and armor, but Jin could tell what they were just by the resonance they gave off. No mere Blades.

“Are you going to kill us or not?” The woman asked. She didn’t even look up at Jin.

“Don’t mind her.” The man said. He looked up at Jin and smiled. “Thanks for the help. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“Flesh Eaters.” Jin observed.

“You can tell?” The man let out a single laugh. “And here I thought you were just some pirate. My sister and I were being transferred to Indol from Tantal. We went to the king for help, and he just gave us up without a fight. So much for protecting his people.”

“Sister?” Jin asked. The man produced an amulet. He flicked it open and showed it to Jin. A pair of humans, smiling together in a photograph.

“The man on the right was my Driver. The woman was Patroka’s.”

“That’s her name?” Jin asked, glancing down at her.

“Not that you need to know.” Patroka said, still looking down.

“I’m Akhos.” The man said. “Our Drivers were brother and sister.”

“That doesn’t make us siblings.” Patroka said. “It’s a stupid notion. They were them, and we’re us.” She looked up at Akhos. “No relation whatsoever.”

“That’s not true. These bodies contain the lives of two humans. We are… connected.”

“I don’t get why you bother…” Patroka sighed.

“Are you happy?” Jin asked, turning back to Akhos.

“What do you mean?” He asked in reply.

“I’m asking if it makes you happy, clinging to things like that.”

“I… I don’t know. But it’s better than having nothing. It’s important to me.” He glanced down at Patroka. “She’s important to me. And that gives me a reason to go on. I have to live for my Driver. And I have to live for her.”

-

Akhos screamed and drew back his bow string. A bolt of lightning crackled in it, drawn like an arrow. He fired it at Amalthus’s head and drew another, not even waiting to see if the first connected. Amalthus blocked his barrage with a pair of tendrils.

“Akhos, get away!” Jin shouted, reaching out to him. Nia held him back from crawling forward. “He’s going to kill you!”

“This is for Patroka, you monster!” Akhos continued to scream. He ran at Amalthus and switched his bow to its scythe form. A blade of lightning extended from the head, and he swung it at Amalthus. Two tendrils blocked the strike, and a third shot out and wrapped around Akhos. It bound his arms to his chest and lifted him into the air.

“How dare you!” Amalthus bellowed. “How dare you look down on me?! You, a mere Blade, whose very existence depends upon ours!”

“Let him go!” Nia shouted. She whipped herself forward with a cloak of water and slammed into Amalthus’s stomach. Several tendrils wrapped around him, catching her kick. She swung her sword at his head, and he caught that too. A jet of water from her free hand struck him in the face. His tendrils whipped out, throwing Nia back, and instantly a wave of blue flames collided with him. Mòrag and Brighid each held a whip as they formed another strike.

“This is a strange situation.” Mòrag said. “Fighting to save a member of Torna.”

“Indeed.” Brighid said. “But it seems like the right thing to do.” A pair of tendrils lashed out at them, forcing them to dodge and striking the ground around them. One nearly caught Mòrag, but Aegaeon stepped forward and caught the blow with his scabbard. He drew his katana and raked it down the length of the tendril. A wave of ice enveloped Amalthus, slowing his movements.

Roc and Poppi weaved through the tendrils, striking out at them and occasionally firing blasts at Amalthus himself. Pandoria clung to Poppi’s back, holding the handle of her sword. From it she fired blasts of lightning, frying tendrils that got too close to the three. Tora fired Biters at Amalthus, trying to distract the tendrils as Zeke and Rex closed in.

“Who do you people think you are?!” Amalthus howled. His suit gave off a wave of ether, throwing everyone back and off their feet. “Incorrigible whelps. Why would humans side with Blades?!”

“Are you slow?” Zeke asked. “You think it’s a side to pick? We share a bond, you numbskull! We’re in this thing together!”

“Bonds? With these trinkets?” Amalthus began to laugh. Suddenly, he drove his hand into Akhos’s chest and pulled out his core. “I am bound by no Blade! They exist to serve me!” He tossed Akhos’s body aside as he pressed the core into his chest like he had with Patroka’s.

“Akhos!” Jin shouted. He staggered over to Akhos’s side.

“That was surprisingly painful.” Akhos coughed. A wad of blood came up as he did. “Jin…” Akhos reached out his hand.

-

“Join me.” Jin said, catching Patroka’s attention. She stood up next to Akhos.

“And why should we?” She asked. He removed his mask, revealing his core.

“Because I’m just like you.” He said. He reached out his hand toward the pair. They looked between themselves for a moment. Hesitantly, Akhos reached out his own.

-

It collapsed as the life left Akhos’s body, hitting the floor of the chamber. Jin screamed, incomprehensible, and tried to reach for his sword. His eyes were locked on Amalthus. The man’s face twisted into a sinister grin, but it faltered as Rex stepped between them.

“You stay put.” Rex said, glancing back at Jin. “You’re in no condition to fight anymore.”

“I need to kill him!” Jin spat. “I won’t let him keep taking from me!”

“Let us worry about that.” Mythra said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Right now, you need to make sure you survive this. Akhos and Patroka would have wanted it that way.”

“Besides.” Rex smirked. “He’s human. We should be the ones to kick his arse.”

“I have a heart no less human than you.” Jin grunted.

“Then you’d better take good care of it.” Rex turned from Jin and toward Amalthus. Poppi flew at him over Rex’s shoulder, tossing Pandoria at him. She erected a cage of lightning around herself and slammed into Amalthus. His tendrils twitched as the electricity coursed through them. He tried to grab her with his claws, but she pulled herself back to Zeke with the handle, flying just out of his reach. Poppi switched to her cannon and fired a blast into his chest. The tendrils recovered just in time to meet the blast, driving Amalthus back. Zeke ran around behind him, and Mòrag and Rex charged him from the front. Mòrag parried her way through the lashing tendrils, while Rex simply stepped where they would not hit. Several of the cores along Amalthus’s arm lit up, and he fired a blast of ether back at Poppi. She had to break her assault to avoid it, and instantly he cut it down toward Rex.

Rex met the blast with his sword, forcing it to a halt. Mythra’s ether field still permeated the battlefield, and it coiled around Amalthus’s blast, forcing it back into his palm. Instantly, Amalthus manifested a sword in his other hand. It was twice as tall as he was, but he swung it with ease. Mythra threw up a shield to block it, but Tora ran forward and caught it on his own. He fired a biter into it, knocking the hand back and allowing Mòrag a clear path to his chest. She drove her sword straight into his side. It glanced off his side, but her follow up strike managed to slip between two of the coils that made up his armor. Blood tricked out of the wound.

Instantly, a tendril knocked Mòrag back. A stone whip pierced that tendril from behind, driving it into the ground. Zeke tackled Amalthus, Eye glowing, and drove a dozen more spikes into his back. They collided with the crystal on his chest, cracking it slightly. Pandoria shot the blade of her sword into Amalthus’s chest. He grabbed Zeke and tossed him at Pandoria. He swung his sword up again, knocking Tora into the air. Poppi caught him and the pair dropped on top of Amalthus. She tried to drive her spear through his shoulder, but he caught it with a tendril. Roc struck him from the side with a blast of wind, and he rolled with it, throwing Poppi and Tora off him.

Tora fired a Biter at Amalthus, who ducked below it. A pair of tendrils grabbed Tora and Poppi and whipped them back into Dromarch and Nia. She cushioned the impact by catching them with a wave of water. Instantly, however, Amalthus’s tendrils struck out at them. Dromarch threw up a shield, but they punched through it. Roc slammed into the tendrils from above, severing two of them with his scythes. Aegaeon blasted himself forward on a pillar of ice and began to freeze Amalthus’s surroundings. Amalthus grabbed his arms with a pair of tendrils, but Mòrag slid underneath him and grabbed the tendrils with her whips. With one great pull, she severed both, and Aegaeon dropped to his feet behind her.

Rex fired a blast into Amalthus’s side as Mòrag and Aegaeon got clear. Amalthus manifested a second weapon, this time a great axe, and swung it at Rex. Zeke caught it with a stone pillar and delivered a punch to Amalthus’s gut with a pair of metal spikes lining his knuckles. He lodged his fist between two bands of Amalthus’s armor. The spikes began to crackle with electricity, and a moment later they exploded, scattering clouds everywhere and burning a hole in Amalthus’s armor. Zeke jumped back and scrambled to Nia’s side, holding his burned hand in his good one, as Poppi and Brighid began firing at the hole. Amalthus wrapped two tendrils around it, but otherwise kept his focus on Rex.

Dromarch hit Amalthus with a sonic blast, and Roc followed it up with a series of small blasts to his upper chest and head. Amalthus stumbled back, his axe and sword falling to the ground. Rex instantly slipped past them and jumped up, slicing the crystal mass on Amalthus’s chest. Every tendril converged on him at once, and he engaged Jin’s speed, rolling out of their reach and slashing at them, severing two. The stone pillar by Amalthus’s axe exploded like Zeke’s spikes had, forcing Amalthus to his knees. Poppi shot forward again and swung her hammer at his head. It connected, but he didn’t go down. A tendril grabbed her and flung her into the ceiling.

A wave of ether blasted out of Amalthus, knocking everyone back again. His tendrils shot forward to grab at the Blades, but Aegaeon threw up a wall of ice between them and him. Zeke leapt over the wall, arm restored, and Pandoria threw him his sword. He swung it at Amalthus’s chest. The instant a tendril tried to block the strike, he fired the blade out and formed a bridge of lightning between the two pieces. The lightning seared through the tendril and struck Amalthus. He screamed and manifested a spear from his chest. It shot out at Zeke, knocking him back through the ice wall. Brighid fired a blast of flame through the hole he’d created.

The flames coiled around Amalthus, but he paid them no mind. He swung his other weapons through the wall, aiming to cleave everyone beyond it in two. Nia caught the strikes with two walls of water reinforced with Dromarch’s ether shield. Roc blasted everyone out of the way, and he and Poppi took to the air again. He began flying around Amalthus, drawing the attention of the tendrils, while Poppi lined up a shot. The instant she fired, Mythra and Pandoria did as well. The combined strike knocked Amalthus back into the elevator shaft. The crystal on his chest cracked clean in half.

“I refuse to end here!” Amalthus shrieked. “I will meet the Architect! I will erase everything with my own hands!” As he screamed, the remaining tendrils on his back began to multiply. Cores disappeared from his body, manifested as tendrils through the crystal. They began to spread out, wrapping the shaft in a web of blue vines. Slowly, his armor began to spread itself across the metal as well.

“This is bad!” Dromarch shouted as the structure around them began to groan. “This pillar won’t sustain that pressure for long!”

“How’s that bastard still standing?!” Zeke grunted, getting back to his feet. “And after the incredible thrashing we gave him!”

“The fight’s not over!” Mòrag shouted. She, Brighid, and Aegaeon charged forward. The others followed their lead. Several of Amalthus’s tendrils tore themselves from the shaft and began lashing out at everyone, keeping them at bay, if only just. Two of them, however, lunged for Jin. Rex noticed and threw himself in their path. He struck down one, but the other knocked him aside, carving a long cash in his leg. Mythra stumbled as the wound manifested on her own, but she managed to grab the second tendril before it reached Jin. With a blast of power, she disintegrated it. A moment later, she returned to her normal form.

“Rex! Mythra!” Nia shouted, running to help them.

“Mythra…” Jin said, reaching out to her. “You…”

“Don’t…” She coughed. “Don’t get the wrong idea. We couldn’t let him get your core too. With it, he’d be unstoppable.” With that, she collapsed next to Rex and switched over to Pyra.

“She wanted to save you.” Pyra said, smiling at Jin. “She didn’t want to let someone else die because of her.”

“Thank you.” Jin muttered. He got to his feet and Nia began healing Rex’s leg and limped over to his sword.

“All the cores!” Amalthus continued to scream. “All the Architect’s words! They belong to me!” He drove another set of tendrils at Pyra. Jin screamed and reached out, freezing them solid with a wave of ether. He turned and began limping at Amalthus.

“Jin.” Nia said, finishing up with Rex and reaching over toward Pyra. “Why didn’t you kill me when I betrayed Torna?”

“It wasn’t a mistake, was it?” He asked. “Becoming the Blade of someone you trust… I did that too, once. Rex.” He turned around for a moment just as Rex was getting to his feet. “You have to stop Malos. He’s still searching for his own identity, and he’ll destroy the world to find it. Tell him the answer you found.”

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t.” Rex said. “We can take this guy together.”

“This is something I must do. Goodbye.” Jin turned around and began walking toward Amalthus again.

“You should have died with Torna!” Amalthus growled, locking eyes on Jin.

“Yes. But you took that from me. Now, I’m taking it back!” Jin manifested a cloud of dozens of spears. He drove them forward, piercing Amalthus’s armor and pinning his body to the elevator. The combined strike broke through the doors and threw Amalthus back. The tendrils scrambled to pierce the walls of the shaft, dragging Amalthus up. Jin walked forward, manifesting a concentrated cloud of ice shards and driving them up into Amalthus. As Jin entered the shaft, and as Amalthus climbed, the cores on both their heads began to crack.

-

“Bandits?” Amalthus asked. “Unfortunate. I thought the wound was from a blade of some kind. Still, how did you let the infection progress that much?”

“Not the point.” Zeke said. “Anyway, those bandits were most like after Pandoria. After all, she looks pretty damn human for a Blade. She’d be worth a lot to some people. I saw a lot of that in Spessia. Selling Blades to the highest bidder. Lining up the cores with pretty pictures of the Blade inside.”

“It’s the same as it ever was, then.”

“How do you mean? I’d thought this was a relatively recent practice.”

“The details are different, but the motivation remains the same. As soon as people are denied something they want, they try to take it by force.”

Zeke frowned. “Not everyone’s like that.”

“Oh, some give up prematurely, but the feeling is there, I assure you.”

“Well, in that case, why bother protecting them?” Zeke motioned out at the refugees again. “Why not let people do whatever?”

“To remind myself.” Amalthus said. “I must never forget what kind of beings humans are.”

“Is that what helping me was, too?”

“That…” Amalthus let out a laugh. “In a way, I suppose. A long time ago, I seem to recall seeing a very similar scene. It was a face of humanity I have not seen in a long time.”

-

“Father!” Amalthus shrieked. “Why do you not answer when I call?!” He reached out his hand toward the top of the shaft. “What else must I do before you accept me?!”

“This is it, Lora.” Jin muttered. “I never broke our promise, right up until the end. I’m coming to join you now.” He raised his sword up toward Amalthus and fired a blast of pure ether out of the end. It struck Amalthus, shredding his armor and throwing his body to the top of the shaft. Amalthus struck the top, and the blast kept him pinned there. It continued until Jin’s core exploded, knocking him back through the doors and into the chamber. Mòrag and Zeke rushed into the shaft, but when the ether faded, Amalthus was gone.

Jin lay on the ground by Akhos and Patroka’s bodies. His eyes were closed, and he had a smile on his face. Slowly, he began to fade into ether.

“And thus ends the life of the Paragon of Torna.” Gramps said, watching Jin’s ether scatter. “In the end, he was still as splendid a soul as I remember.”

-

It was raining in the town when Malos arrived. Every ounce of him wanted to wipe it off the face of the Titan, but he lacked the strength for that anymore. He’d only just secured something to hide his shattered core. So he trudged on. The streets were choked with water, and people ran for cover amidst the storm. Between two of the buildings, however, one man wasn’t moving at all. He wore a threadbare cloak and simply sat staring at the ground. The man caught the Aegis’s eye.

“What a stench!” Malos groaned, approaching him. “They let beggars roam free in this town?” He stopped in front of the man and noticed a resonance from him. He cracked a smile. “You’re a Blade, aren’t you? Where’s your Driver, dead drunk in a ditch? No, somehow I don’t think that’s it.”

Malos’s voice sparked something in the Blade. He raised his head and stared at Malos with dead eyes. Instantly, Malos recognized the face. The Paragon of Torna. The Blade who’d tried to match him at Torna’s core all those years ago. His smile twisted into a thin smirk. He was going to enjoy this.

“My name’s Malos. Remember me?” He asked. “I’m the man who sank your precious Titan.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Jin muttered. “Nothing matters anymore.” Malos’s grin widened.

“You’ve lost your Driver, haven’t you?”

“I lost everything.”

“I’m the same as you.” Malos offered out his hand. “A Blade left with nothing and unable to die. What do you say we do something about it?”

Jin looked up at Malos’s hand. He stared at it for a long time, not even noticing the rain pelt his face. And then, slowly, he reached out to take it.


	12. Final Chapter - And Thus, Boy Met Girl

“Heat-seeking warhead. We’ve been hit.” “Sensing deviation across orbital ring.” “Reading shift to west-by-northwest, magnitude two.” “Correcting tower balance.” “Releasing anchors one-twenty-seven through two-fourteen.”

The station’s control room was alive with activity. Dozens of people ran to and from the staff manning the consoles, clogging the walkways to the point they began to trip over each other. Reports and orders flew across the screens at blinding speeds, attempting to keep up with the pace of the battle raging just outside the hull. Overseeing it all was the Director, watching as the Saviorites slowly chewed through their forces in orbit, making a beeline for them. For the Zohar.

“Echelon Siren losses now exceed sixty percent.” A woman near the Director announced. He sighed, clasping his hands together. The room shook as the fighting around them intensified. He could see Sirens continue to fall on the monitor, each loss draining a little more of his staff’s morale. Soon, the station’s integrity would be at risk.

“Director!” His assistant called out, echoing his thoughts. “Rhadamanthus cannot hold! The Saviorite Rebels have us surrounded! Soon, the entire Beanstalk will be compromised!”

“We have no choice.” The Director announced, standing above the chaos of the control room. His voice seemed to calm the storm, if only for a moment. “Initialize Aion. Prepare the Zohar.” Swiftly, half a dozen staff began carrying out his orders, issuing the necessary commands and fielding the required personnel. He had always suspected it would come to this.

“Director!” A member of the staff shouted, standing up from his station. “The Zohar’s authorization has failed!”

“What?” The director asked. The color began to drain from his face.

“We’ve been locked out!” The man continued, on the verge of panic. “By Professor-!” Before he could finish, a white light poured through the control room. It engulfed everyone. They didn’t have time to scream.

-

On another side of the station, the man began to put his plan into action. He picked up his pace, intending to finish before the Director could override his lockout. None of the others had caught on yet, but he knew the woman would begin to suspect something soon. As long as the Processor was distracted with the Savoirites, then-

“Professor?” Ontos asked, his voice ringing in the man’s earpiece. “What is it you’re trying to accomplish here?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” The man muttered. “I’m simply reviewing the procedures for-”

“The phase transition experiment, which both the Director and Doctor Galea have expressly forbidden. The process you are attempting to initialize requires administrative approval. I was queried. Should I be concerned?”

“It’ll work this time.” The man hissed. “I can feel it. I know you want to see what’s on the other side as much as I do. This is our chance to find out.”

“I suppose you are correct…” Ontos fell silent a moment. “As your actions pose no clear threat to the integrity of this station or Aoidos’s control of the Zohar, I cannot take action against you. I shall grant your process administrative access. I wish you the best of luck. Though I do not think the same can be said for Doctor Galea.”

Ontos broke their connection, and the man could hear the room quiet down. He glanced around and noticed her approaching, the others tensing up in anticipation. They’d seen the two of them do this song and dance before. He hoped that would be enough to prevent them from interfering. It was now or never.

“Trinity Processor sync rate at ninety-six percent.” He muttered. “That should be good enough. Let’s begin the experiment.” He straightened up and took one last look at the Zohar’s chamber displayed on his monitor. At some point, he’d put the live feed up in the corner, though he couldn’t remember exactly when. The cross of golden light had ripped his future away. He was about to take it back.

“No!” She shouted, running up to him. “The results have not been confirmed! It’s too dangerous!” She grabbed his arm and attempted to drag him away from the console.

“Ridiculous!” He scoffed, throwing her off him. “It’s perfectly safe.” He continued to type away, delivering the last few key commands. “We are about to bear witness to the birth of a universe! Once, only a god could perform such a miracle! But today, mankind moves one step closer to the divine!”

“Stop! Klaus!” She shouted, just as he initialized the process. By then, it was too late. A light spread from the Zohar, and the camera feed went blank. A moment later, the light erupted from the chamber beneath them and raced across the orbital station, consuming everything in its path. He watched as the light filled the void and scoured the entire world before him. He basked in it as it consumed the world, and him with it. It was beautiful. For a moment. Then he felt something in himself beginning to tear apart. The light poured through him. He felt some part of himself disappear. After that, he felt only pain.

-

“We’re here” Zeke said, bringing the stone platform to a stop at the top of the shaft. The lift’s regular platform had been crushed against the ceiling, and the doors at the top had been blown open. “And no sign of Amalthus either.”

“I’m not surprised.” Mòrag said. “That last attack probably froze him solid, and it produced quite the shower of ice.”

“Keep an eye out for him, just in case.” Rex said. “And Malos too. We don’t know where he’s gone either.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea.” Pyra said. “This way.” She stepped off the platform and into the room beyond. It was large cylinder with the elevator shaft in its center. Most of the floor and the entire front half were glass, with metal pathways laid over it for walking. The view beyond the glass made everyone fall silent. The sky was a vast, black expanse filled with countless points of light, and the ground far below them was blanketed with clouds as white as snow.

“The stars…” Brighid said, putting her hand on the window in front of them. “They’re close enough to touch.”

“The other view is quite something too.” Zeke commented. “Look at the Cloud Sea all the way down there. You can’t even see any Titans from this high up.

“The top of the World Tree…” Rex muttered. “We’ve almost-” He heard the toll of a bell.

“What was that?” Nia asked.

“Elysium.” Rex smiled, wiping a tear from his eye. “It’s real.”

“Doesn’t look like much.” Zeke said, taking stock of the room. “Granted, the view is pretty nice, but we’d be a little cramped for space up here.”

“Not here, you dolt.” Rex turned, spotting another exit from the room. He could hear the bell toll again behind it. “There.” Barely able to contain himself, he ran forward. Images of the plane where he’d first met Pyra flashed through his mind. The door opened as he ran at it, revealing another hallway. The bell steadily grew louder as he ran.

-

Malos stepped into the room, and the door closed behind him. He was trapped in near utter darkness. The only lights were small dots spaced around the room’s cylindrical walls and the soft green glow that framed the figure in front of him. The figure sat, cross legged, floating in the center of the darkness. The figure had long hair and a thin, frame, but beyond that Malos couldn’t make out any details. He knew who it was, nonetheless.

“It’s been a while, “Father”.” He said.

“I am not your father, Logos.” A voice echoed from the figure. It had a strange quality to it, as if many voices were speaking just out of sync with each other.

“Is that my real name?” Malos began to walk forward. “What’s it mean? “Logos”?”

“Logic. Reason. You were named as such because it was your role to plan and strategize, to analyze threats and devise countermeasures.” The man sighed. “But now, it means nothing. All it represents is the ego of those who named you.”

“But you weren’t one of them?”

“I assisted in the final stages of the project, but no. I am not your creator. She is… gone now, from this world. She has been for longer than you can imagine.”

“Well.” Malos smirked, stopping just in front of the figure. He still couldn’t make out the man’s features. “That suits me just fine, then. You know why I’m here, don’t you?”

“I know it all. Everything you experience is passed on to me here.”

“Then let’s get straight to the point.” Malos held out his hand and unleashed a blast of dark ether. It illuminated the figure for a moment, but before he could make out the man’s face amidst the purple light, it vanished. It spiraled into the man’s gut and winked out from existence.

“No need to rush, Logos. I am fading. I’ll be gone, soon enough.”

“Is that right?” Malos frowned. After a moment, he shrugged. “Then I guess I’ll take it all.”

“Do as you wish. If you believe that is your role.”

“Is that choice really mine?” Malos asked.

The man was silent.

“Answer me!” Malos growled. “This is what I came to hear!”

“…It was a choice you both made. You and that man.”

“Good answer.” Malos smiled, stepping back. “Thanks for every-” The door behind him opened, and Amalthus stumbled in.

“Finally…” Amalthus spat. “I’ve found you, Malos.”

“My Driver dearest. Come to see me off?”

“Hardly. I’ve come to take back what’s mine.” Amalthus stepped forward and extended his hand. Malos’s core manifested in it, forming his sword around it. Amalthus swung it a few times, testing its weight. He seemed satisfied.

“So, you’ve finally found your spine, have you?”

“This was my desire, Malos. My mission. I will see it through. Never forget that.” Amalthus limped into the center of the room. “Now what are you doing here, standing in the dark all by yourself?”

Malos glanced around. The man had disappeared. He turned back to Amalthus. “Waiting for you, apparently.”

“Let’s not delay any longer.” Amalthus turned from Malos and began to limp toward the room’s other exit. “We’ve got a world to destroy. Only then can I meet the Architect.”

“Right.” Malos smirked. “After you.”

The man watched the pair leave. After all these millennia, he still could not understand the Zohar’s behavior. Was it spurring that man Amalthus on intentionally? He could not say. Before he could consider the matter further, however, he could feel another group on approach.

“Ah.” He nodded. “And here comes the other answer.”

-

The doors opened for Rex as he ran down the hallway. Great metal slabs sliding up into the walls as he approached. With every one that opened, the bell grew louder, until finally he reached a set of doors many times his height. Slowly, they pulled apart as he ran up to them, grinding and protesting but moving all the same. A wall of dust greeted him as they did, washing over everyone. Beyond was a hill of loose, sandy soil beneath a blue sky. Clouds rolled overhead, and a light hung in the sky, roughly approximating where the sun should have been. Rex stopped and smiled.

“It sure is bright.” Nia said, walking up behind him.

“I think it’s just past here.” Rex said. “We’re almost at-” He stopped. His smile faltered. At the top of the hill was a tree. It was the tree from his visions of Elysium. But instead of a healthy tree with bright-green leaves on a rolling hillside, it was a dead husk sitting on what was practically a dune.

Rex ran forward, his boots almost failing to find traction on the crumbling ground. Dirt rolled down the hill in waves has he ran up it, kicking up a cloud of dust. When it settled, he was at the top, collapsed to his knees. The others realized why as soon as they caught up with him.

The vast expanse beyond the hill was barren. Dead trees marked the location of once vibrant forests covering nearby hills, and between them all was the remains of a now-dry lakebed. A large concrete bridge had stretched over it, but that had since collapsed. The road it was connected to, however, lead from the base of the hill all the way past the lake to a settlement. The town from Rex’s memories. It had been reduced to ruins. A collection of gray dots on the horizon. Beyond the hills and the town, more buildings like the ones in Morytha stood, concrete corpses mixed with collapsed roadways stretching out to the other end of the expanse.

“No…” Pyra muttered. One hand went up to her mouth. She put the other on Rex’s shoulder. He didn’t notice. “It can’t be…”

“Is this…?” Nia started to ask but didn’t dare finish. She just stared like everyone else.

“There was supposed to be greenery.” Rex said. “Forests. A lake. A town. Birds singing and people laughing. There was supposed to be life.” His fingers dug into the dirt by his legs. “But there’s nothing. Nothing at all.”

“I don’t get it.” Nia shook her head. “This isn’t really Elysium, is it?” She looked around at the others, but they couldn’t give her any reassurance. Only Pyra met her gaze.

“Not how I remember it.” Pyra said. “But the hills, the lake, this tree… It’s Elysium.”

Nia was very still for a moment. Just as Zeke was about to put a hand on her shoulder, she screamed and tore a chunk out of the tree beside Pyra.

“What a wretched sight.” Gramps said, leaning out of Rex’s helmet. “I have not seen anything like this in all my years on Alrest.”

“The bell.” Mòrag said, walking around the tree to get a better look at their surroundings. “Something must be making that sound. Could this place still be inhabited?”

“Over there.” Poppi pointed across the horizon. “Sound coming from that building.” She pointed to a long structure at the far end of the town, standing on the hill just before the city began. It was topped with a bell tower.

“Then there’s no point hanging around here.” Zeke said. He grabbed Rex by the shoulder and tried to drag him to his feet.

“I can stand.” Rex said, batting Zeke’s hand aside and getting up. “I…” He took a moment to breathe. “This looks pretty definitive, but we can’t know for sure until we check. It’s possible some part isn’t destroyed. There has to be _something_ left.”

“Doubtful.” Zeke said. “Possible, but doubtful.”

“Only one way to find out.” Pandoria suggested.

“We should focus on finding Malos.” Aegaeon said. “The longer we wait, the closer he gets to that Aion Artifice Pyra mentioned.”

“Malos wanted to kill the Architect, too.” Rex said. “Finding the Architect, alive or dead, seems like a good first step to finding Malos. And this is, unfortunately, Elysium. The Architect’s home. Do you have a better idea of where to look?”

No one had a reply.

“I’ll scout ahead.” Roc said, taking to the air. He swept over the hillsides, skirting the edges of large dust clouds that hung over much of the city. Everyone else took to the road, walking toward the town is silence. Rex led the way, with Nia right behind him. His jaw was set, and his brow creased in a firm line. Nia walked with a similar determination. It was only when they reached the ruins of its outskirts that Dromarch worked up the nerve to break the tension.

“These ruins…” He muttered. “This was once a city, and quite an old one at that.”

“Just like Morytha.” Zeke said. “Only replace the violent storms with an endless pile of dirt.”

“Morytha was destroyed.” Pyra said. She bent down next to an object sitting in front of a ruined building. Three wheels bolted rather crudely to a rusted metal frame. “This place seems to have just wasted away.” She reached out to touch it. The entire structure crumbled the second her fingers made contact.

“What was that?” Mòrag asked.

“A child’s vehicle, I think.”

“People lived here, once.” Rex said.

“Not that surprising.” Gramps said. “But with everything we saw and everything Jin told us in Morytha, I’d wager Elysium suffered a similar fate. Abandoned long before the Architect created Alrest.”

“Still, the city must have been grand.” Mòrag said. “Even from that hill, it stretched further than the eye could see. You could fit the entire population of Mor Ardain… No, all of Alrest into this place and still have room to spare.”

“That was the plan.” Nia said.

“What we do now?” Tora asked.

“We stop Malos. After that…” She sighed. “Let’s focus on that for now.” For the rest of the walk, she led the way. All the way up the hill to the building the ringing was coming from. Roc circled it a few times before landing beside them. As he did, the ringing stopped.

“Can’t find a bell.” He said, pointing back at the tower. “And all the entrances are sealed.”

“Well, it’s stopped now.” Brighid said. “Perhaps we’ve arrived?”

“Arrived where?” Aegaeon asked. “What is this place?” The building was long and tall, with wooden doors and still-intact stone walls surrounded by a knee-high fence. Its face had been worn entirely smooth by the dust, however, and lacked any markings.

“An archive.” Pyra said. “I think-” She reached out her hand toward the door, but before she could do anything it creaked open.

“A signal we should enter, perhaps?” Gramps asked. Rex didn’t volunteer a reply, but he walked in all the same. The interior was lined with wooden shelves, stretching almost its entire length as well as most of what could be seen of the second-floor balcony from the entrance. The dried-out husks of books were scattered across the floor, many buried in sand that had leaked through the door. Some had simply fallen apart on their own. Very few remained on the shelves.

As the group reached the middle of the building, a desk against the far wall moved. It slid back and folded up, revealing a metal staircase leading down into a hallway like the one they’d entered Elysium from. Soft, green lights lined its walls.

“That’s not creepy at all.” Zeke said.

“Don’t be a child.” Mòrag said. “It seems to lead to a lower level, perhaps connected to the network of hallways we came from.” She walked forward and took a step down the stairs. As she did, the side she was on began to move down the incline, while the opposite side of the stairs began moving up. She panicked for a moment, jumping back off the machine. Rex stepped onto it while she regained her composure, and the others were close behind him.

“Why has this building held up so well?” Zeke asked.

“Quality of structural materials much better than in city outside.” Tora said. He ran his hand along the wall as it moved past him. “This made of same substance as World Tree itself.”

“Yeah, but the building was stone. Or maybe concrete. Not whatever the hell this stuff is.”

“Maybe someone’s been maintaining it?” Dromarch asked. “Like the Architect, perhaps?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.”

“Do you have another explanation?” Rex asked, turning around to give Zeke an incredulous look. Only Zeke wasn’t there. No one was. The machine stopped, depositing Rex at the base of the staircase, but he was alone. Everyone else had vanished when his back was turned.

“Zeke?!” He shouted. “Pyra?! Gramps?!” He looked around the small room he’d arrived in. It had only one exit. There was a faint golden light at the end of it. With no other option, he ran down it, continuing to shout. As he ran, the light rushed down the corridor and enveloped him.

-

The man sat in thought. It had taken him some time to learn how to control his new body, but it was a small price to pay. He had everything he’d ever wanted. Half of this new universe he found himself in was his to control as he saw fit.

“Is this what you wanted?” The woman asked, her voice reaching across the vast distance between them. “Is this new universe everything you dreamed it would be?” It had been some time since they’d spoken, and she seemed to have calmed down considerably. He could see her form standing opposite his. His opposite in almost every respect. It was fitting, though, as she’d always had more of a penchant for machines than people.

“We’re gods, now.” He replied. “The Zohar has ascended us to heights we could have only dreamed of before. This universe bends to our will, and ours alone. It’s more sublime than I could have imagined.”

“At what cost? What happened to our home? Our friends and family?”

“A god has no need of such considerations. You should be proud the Zohar chose you. The power of creation is at your command.”

“Can you be sure it is really ours to control?”

“Of course.” He scoffed. “What kind of question is that? We are gods, after all.”

“I am not so sure.” She sighed. “But if we are as immortal as you suspect, then I think I’ll take this opportunity to contemplate our nature as “gods”.”

“As ever, you fail to see the larger picture.”

“And what is it you plan to do?”

“That should be obvious.” He smiled. “Any true god should have worshipers. So I’ll make some.”

“It won’t change anything.”

“You don’t know that.” He hissed. “I will be their god. They will have no choice but to love me.”

“You expect them to love a man incapable of loving others?”

“If they will not love me, I will make them. And I am a man no longer. If you have anything more to say to me, you will speak to me as a god.”

“Even godhood cannot change a person’s nature.”

“I decide my own nature!” He roared. The scream of his body echoed across the endless sea. “My will is reality. From this day forward, I am no longer Klaus, the pitiful human man. Now, I am a god. And my name shall be Zanza.”

-

Rex stumbled, tripping as the light blinded him for a moment. He reached out for the wall to steady himself, and his hand brushed up against a metal railing. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself standing in front of the crow’s nest of a Titan ship. It was night, and a rather stormy one at that. He was at the top of the stairs. Nia stood further into the nest, leaning against the railing with a flask in one hand and a pair of binoculars in the other. Dromarch was curled up next to her feet.

“Nia.” Rex said, taking a step toward her. “You alright?”

“I’m surviving.” She replied. “More or less.”

“This is the Maelstrom.” Rex noticed, looking around. “This is… This is when we had that argument, the night we first met.”

“So it would appear.” Nia sighed. She took a long drag from her flask.

“How do you think we got here…” He took a step down the stairs, and he could move just fine. “Nia, can you see any of the others from here?”

“No. Not that it matters much anyway.”

“Not that it-” Rex whirled around and stared at Nia. “The hell do you mean by that? What’s gotten into you? We need to get out of… Whatever this is and go find-”

“The Architect?” Nia asked. “Why bother? It’s over. All that’s left is to enjoy however much time is left on our own terms. There’s no use worrying about what we can’t change.”

“Oh like hell!” Rex grabbed Nia’s shoulder and turned her around. “I’m not giving up, and neither are-” She punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Get your head out of your arse!” She shouted. “Elysium is dust! We were just chasing a fairytale!”

“You don’t believe that.” Rex said, pulling himself back up. “You cared more about finding Elysium than any of us. I won’t let you give up now.”

“You can’t fix this, Rex. There’s no miracle or last-minute solution that’ll salvage this. Elysium is gone.”

“It was never about Elysium. You told me you wanted to create a world where no one has to suffer like we did. That dream didn’t die with Elysium, did it?”

“That dream never lived. I was just kidding myself with all that talk about Elysium. Clinging desperately to the delusion Jin gave me, even after he tossed me aside. But somehow, with all your talk of taking Pyra to Elysium, I started to believe myself.” She jabbed a finger at his Core Crystal. “I trusted you, Rex. And for what?”

“We put our trust in you.” Dromarch said, uncurling. “We gave everything we had for the sake of this quest, with nothing to show for it.”

“Nothing is over.” Rex hissed. “Not by a long shot. If you want to sit here and wallow in self-pity, then go ahead. But I won’t go back to that. Even without Elysium, I will find a way to make your dream a reality. Whether you want me to or not.”

“You really are something…” Nia sighed, turning back to lean on the railing again. “There’s even a word for it. Naïve.”

“I like to think it’s persistence.” Rex said. “I’m going to find the others. If you two feel like pulling yourself together, feel free to join me. But I’m not giving up here.” He took a step back down the stairs. The moment his foot touched the ground, the light flashed again. When it settled, he stood on the bridge outside Alba Cavanich. A dozen Ardainian soldiers stood in a circle around him, guns at the ready. Slowly, Mòrag and her Blades approached him from the city.

“You insolent fool.” Mòrag spat. “You’re so thoughtless.”

“What the hell is going on?” Rex sighed. “Are you giving up too?”

“Giving up?” Brighid asked. “Look around you!” As she shouted, the city behind her caught fire.

“Here you are, wasting time, chasing phantoms!” Mòrag shouted. “All while my country burns! While my people are slaughtered!”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Aegaeon asked.

“Calm down.” Rex took a step toward them, slowly, his palms spread. “Whatever this place is, I’ll get us out of here. We’ll stop Malos and-”

“Will you listen for once?” Brighid asked. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You just run ahead, without a thought for anyone else, and this is the result!” As she shouted that last word, the bridge cracked beneath them. The four of them fell, falling through the Cloud Sea at blinding speed and landing hard on the cliff in Morytha where Rex and Brighid found each other. Rex landed on his back and had to slowly get to his feet. Mòrag and her Blades were already standing once he did.

“I couldn’t save anyone…” Mòrag hissed. “If only we hadn’t come here, I could have saved my people. If not for you, I could have saved Niall!” She drew her swords.

“You dragged us to some empty ruins!” Aegaeon shouted. “Marched us through dust and rubble while our country burned! I hope it was worth everything we sacrificed!”

“I’m not going to fight you.” Rex said. Instinctively, he reached back for the handle of his sword, but it wasn’t there. He frowned. “What’s the use in fighting amongst ourselves?”

“What’s the use?!” Mòrag howled. “Vengeance! What more reason do we need?!”

“We will take our vengeance for the thousands of lives you have stolen.” Brighid said. She grabbed the knife from her belt.

“I was never able to avenge the Emperor when I died.” Aegaeon unsheathed his katana. “At the very least, I should be able to make up for that with your death.”

“I’ve never killed anyone.” Rex said.

“And where did that get us?!” Mòrag screamed. “Your hesitation got Fan killed, nearly started a war, allowed Bradly to escape with his life, let Jin and Malos give us the run around time and again, and cost us precious time against Amalthus! All while my people suffered and died! I will have your life for an apology!”

“It’s not going to be worth it. You know that as well as I do.”

“You stopped me last time, so we can’t really know for sure! I have a feeling things will be different when I slit your throat!” She lunged forward. Rex put up his arms to defend himself, but she never reached him. A blast of wind knocked her and her Blades aside.

“I can’t let you do that.” Roc said, touching down between them and Rex. “He’s my Driver.”

“Roc.” Rex sighed, putting his hand on Roc’s shoulder. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“You think you have the right to touch me?” Roc asked. He batted Rex’s hand off his shoulder and spun around. As he spun, the scenery changed too. They stood at the foot of Vandham’s grave.

“Not you too…”

“You don’t have the right to say that.” Roc said. “First you let my Driver die, then you wake me up only to send me away again? Was I just a reminder of your failure to you? Or is the Aegis’s Driver so blessed that another Blade only slows him down?”

“I…” Rex balled his hands into fists and unclenched them again. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I sent you to the Garfont Mercenaries because I didn’t want to think about how I’d let Vandham down. It wasn’t fair to you. I know words can’t change what I did, but I will make it right. I swear.” He placed his hand on top of Vandham’s grave. “I am done running away.”

“Easy for Rex-Rex to say.” Tora said, looking up from his workstation where he had Poppi strapped. The scenery shifted again, this time to his workshop. He was taking Poppi apart, removing sections of the machine from her. “Rex-Rex not have to struggle like Tora. Rex-Rex stumble into becoming Driver, while Tora cannot become Driver at all.”

“That is not what happened.” Rex said.

“Tora try so hard, and for what? It useless!” He threw his wrench against the wall.

“Masterpon is right.” Poppi croaked. Her throat was only partially intact. “Rex just have a little luck and become Driver of Aegis? While Poppi is torn apart from inside? Poppi never ask to be born as imitation. Poppi want to be real too!” She struggled against the frame holding her in place.

“You are real.” Rex said. “Both of you. You’re as much a Driver and Blade as any of us.”

“Rex-Rex only offer words.” Tora said. “Cannot change reality.” He grabbed his shield. “Tora sick of not being able to change. Sick of being useless!” He threw the shield at Rex. Instinctively, Rex threw up his hands to block it. As he did, a wave of fire erupted from his fingertips, knocking the shield back and engulfing Tora and Poppi.

“No!” He shouted. He ran for them just as the ceiling collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust. He fought through it, coughing, and tried to dig them out of the rubble. “Stay with me, you guys!”

“You having fun, chum?” Zeke asked, standing over Rex’s shoulder. “Playing the hero like a child, stringing us along with no heed for the consequences?”

“This was an accident.” Rex hissed. “I didn’t mean to-”

“You never mean to. You never think. You never listen. You never learn. All that power, and you can’t even keep it under control.”

“I stopped Amalthus, didn’t I? I broke his control over everyone, without destroying anything in the process.”

“I bet that felt real good, huh?” Pandoria asked. “Playing the hero. You get special treatment from everyone, you were even chosen by the Aegis… Who decided a brat like you should get all that power? How about you do the sensible thing and hand it over to the Prince. Right now. He deserves it a hell of a lot more than you.”

“Stop!” Rex shouted, whirling around to stare at the two of them. “I never wanted this! I’m trying to save everyone!”

“So you haven’t worked that out either?” Zeke asked. “In your hurry to get here, you never stopped to consider all the things you left lying in your wake!” Zeke’s Eye flashed, and a wave of clouds washed over Rex. He stepped into it, walking to meet Zeke head on. As it passed over him, however, he found himself on Gramps’s back, floating on the Cloud Sea.

He heard a cry echo out and looked to see the same Titan he’d seen that last day on Gramps’s back. He watched it sink beneath the surface once more.

“What is the point of us?” Gramps asked, looking at the other Titan die. “We are born as Blades, then return to our slumber, again and again over countless years. Until we become Titans, left to wander this world for countless more. And at the end of it all, we sink into nothingness.” He looked over his shoulder at Rex. “Have you ever thought about it? What it means to exist for close to an eternity, with no clear purpose or goal?”

“I can’t imagine.” Rex said.

“It must be nice to be human.” Gramps scoffed. “Living for a limited time, thinking limited thoughts… It must be so much easier. I envy your kind. Just think for a minute, would you? What would you do if you were me? Would you be happy to drift around the ocean with a human on your back? Is that all I am to be?”

“You were always more than that.” Rex said. “You were everything to me.”

“And is that supposed to be a consolation?”

“How am I supposed to answer that?!” Rex shouted. “Where is this coming from all of a sudden? What’s gotten into everyone?”

“You see us for who we truly are.” Gramps said, turning his back to Rex.

“I don’t believe that.” Rex said. “Whatever’s going on here, the friends I know are better than this. They support each other. They don’t give up. They keep fighting, no matter what. And I-” He stopped as things changed again. He stood back in Fonsett village. In front of Corrine’s house. He was back in his old salvager suit. He could hear voices inside. Hesitantly, Rex opened the door.

“Rex!” Pyra beamed, looking over her shoulder at him from the kitchen. “Welcome back!”

“You’re late, Rex!” Mythra said, “Where did you wander off to?”

“Well, whatever you were doing, I hope you worked up an appetite.” Pyra took a pot off the stove and set it in the center of the table. “I’ve cooked up a whole bunch of your favorites.” She walked over and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him through the door and leading him to the table. Mythra was already piling food onto Rex’s plate. He sat down and just stared at it.

“Bread?” She asked.

“What?” He looked up from up plate to see her offering him a basket. Hesitantly, he took one. He turned it over in his hands for a moment before setting it down.

“Has… Something happened?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” Mythra asked.

“It’s just…” He looked around. “You’re both being so nice.”

“I’m always nice.” Mythra said, frowning and crossing her arms.

“I suppose…” Rex looked back at his plate. He sat there, staring at it, while Pyra brought another dish to the table. After a moment, he reached for his fork.

“Hey!” Pyra shouted. Rex nearly jumped out of his seat. “How can you sit down to eat without washing your hands first?”

“That… That’s it?”

“Table manners are very important.” She frowned.

“I… Alright.” Slowly, he stood up and went to the sink. He scrubbed his hands clean and then just let the water run over them for a while.

“You finished?” Pyra asked. “The food’ll go cold if you don’t hurry up.”

“Sorry.” Rex said. He dried his hands off and sat back down. “It looks good.” He didn’t move to eat it.

“Of course it does.” Pyra beamed. “I made it myself, after all.”

“Maybe I’ll try my hand next time.” Mythra said.

“Mythra, no.” Pyra said. “You know how that always ends.”

“But carbon’s good for you!” Mythra protested. “And besides, I want to do something nice for Rex too.”

“No cooking! Who’s going to save the world if you poison Rex?”

“You’re so mean.” Mythra huffed. “It was only that one time.”

“It’s alright.” Rex said. “I don’t care who cooks, I’m just happy we’re…” He stopped. “Happy we’re…” He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “What the hell is going on?”

“Rex?”

“Everyone’s been acting strange. They all said… It was like a nightmare. And I’ve been thinking about everything they said, and I can’t figure it out. They all think I’ve wronged them, and I… Did I? Did I screw up, somewhere along the way? I don’t know how much more of this I can take, and now you two…” He broke down into tears.

Slowly, Mythra stood up and walked around the table to Rex. She reached out and wiped the tears from his eyes.

“I think that’s enough.” Pyra said. She looked up at the ceiling, just as Mythra finished drying Rex’s eyes. The world turned to black.

-

A moment later, Rex was standing next to Pyra. They were both illuminated from above by a sort of spotlight, but everything around them was pitch black. Slowly, other lights turned on around them, illuminating everyone else. As the lights came on, the others returned to reality, as if waking up from a daydream. Most of them stood stock still, but Zeke was crouched, his hand clutching the handle of his sword.

“We’re back?” He asked, slowly uncoiling his fingers. “Is the principal gone?”

“Wh-What?” Rex stammered.

“Was I the only one who had to go to school naked?”

“Predictable.” Mòrag sighed. “I have to relive the worst failure of my life, and you get sent to school?”

“You’ve obviously never met principal Lapupu.”

“None of that was real?” Rex asked. Slowly, everyone else nodded. He nearly collapsed where he stood. “Thank goodness.”

“What the hell did you go through?” Zeke asked.

“It was… Bad.” Rex said.

“My apologies.” A voice rang out, cutting through the darkness. It was like many voices layer atop one another. “I merely wished to examine the shapes of your hearts.” Slowly, a faint light began to filter in from above, illuminating the room. It was a circular chamber. They stood near a door in the side. In the middle of the room was a figure, hovering cross-legged above the floor. The man has long blonde hair that coiled behind him and wrinkled gray skin. His body was covered in mechanical wires and green lights, winding around his torso before ending at disks imbedded in his forehead.

“My name is Klaus.” The man’s voice spoke, emanating less from him and more from the room itself. “The Architect of this world. I have watched over you all this time. I have seen your thoughts. Your desires. The things you have achieved.”

“Those nightmares were your doing?” Nia asked.

“Yes. Past regrets. Lingering doubts. Deep-seeded fears. I wished to examine these things lurking within your hearts. To examine your alternate possibilities.”

“You mean we’re all thinking stuff like that, deep down?” Nia asked. “Is that supposed to be how we really feel?”

“What did you see?” Zeke asked.

“Everyone called me a monster. A cannibal. Turned their backs on me. Jin was there too. It…”

“That isn’t how we feel.” Mòrag said. “You know that.”

“Not at present, no.” The Architect said. “But what you saw were the fears you all harbor. Failure. Abandonment. Loss of control. Loss of purpose. You all saw what shapes these fears took.”

“What was your purpose in showing us this?” Dromarch asked. “Those were not pleasant visions to behold.”

“My only purpose… Was to discover how mankind has changed… And where it is headed.”

“And were you disappointed?” Mòrag asked.

“…” The Architect thought for a moment. “No. As you stand before me right now… That is who you are. That is enough.”

“So… This is real?” Rex asked. “Just- Just confirming.”

“Yes.” Pyra said.

“Okay.” He paused to think for a moment. “Mister Architect, uh… sir? Pyra and I came here to find Elysium. Is this… really it?”

“Yes.” The Architect sighed. “It is the place you call Elysium. The place where I destroyed the world.”

“The- What?”

“I will show you everything. My memories, and those of this planet.” He reached out his hand, and the golden light that had swallowed Rex swept over the group again.

-

It only took a few seconds for the light to fade. But the pain remained. The man doubled over, nearly vomiting across his console. It was as if someone had driven a heated spike through his brain. But beyond the pain, he felt a tremendous sense of emptiness. Failure.

“Well.” He said, a thin laugh escaping his lips. The pain began to subside, reducing to a dull throb. “It looks like you were right after all.” He sighed, struggling to prop himself up against his desk, and turned to face her. Only she wasn’t there. Save for him, the room was empty. He stumbled forward, reaching for the spot she’d been just moments before. He grasped only air.

“Ontos!” He shouted, twisting back to face his console. There was no reply. He ran over to it and began typing away. The station’s systems were online, if nothing else. But the AI of the Trinity Processor were all non-responsive. Shaking his head, he turned away and began to run. He ran through the halls of the station, looking for survivors. It was preposterous that he should be the only one to have survived, especially since he was practically at the experiment’s epicenter. But no matter where he looked, he only found dead, lifeless halls. Even the fighting outside seemed to have stopped. The shells of the Siren units floated just outside the windows, mingled with the wreckage of the Saviorite fleet.

Eventually, he found himself in the control room. Empty as well, but he was growing used to that. He dragged himself to one of the consoles with access to what few satellites the Saviorites hadn’t destroyed. He turned on the feed and began observing the outside of the station. It was still relatively intact, the damage inflicted by the Saviorites notwithstanding. If the effect was limited to the station, then he could call in reinforcements, sort the situation out with Aoidos command. If it wasn’t, however…

He turned the satellites toward the planet. The skies above the city were clear, and the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. He had no reason to not believe what his eyes were seeing, no matter how badly he wanted to. The city was lifeless. Its streets, normally buzzing with activity, were empty. Thirty million people gone. Erased in the blink of an eye. He knew what the result would be, no matter where he looked. He was the only survivor. Just when he felt ready to burst, he saw something on the feed move.

A figure lumbered into the streets. For a moment, he had hope again. Someone else was alive. The city must have simply been evacuated in the face of the Saviorite assault. That was a much more plausible explanation. He wasn’t alone. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was short lived. When he opened his eyes again, the figure was in better view. And it was not human.

It was a twisted mass of gray veins and blue crystals. As it shambled forward, more creatures like it emerged from the building behind it. They were Guldo. Humanity’s greatest shame. An attempt at immortality gone horribly wrong, unable to die but scarcely capable of living either.

Frantically, he pointed the satellites at other cities, other countries. Anywhere that might contain a trace of human life. What he found was worse than he had feared. Not only was all of humanity gone, but it seemed as though he was the only living creature to have survived the experiment. Even worse, vast chunks of the planet’s landscape had disappeared or changed. Warped by some unknown force. Cities upended. Mountains inverted. Entire oceans and continents missing or moved around. He felt he should scream, or cry, or mourn. But he couldn’t bring himself to. He only felt the emptiness inside intensify until there was nothing left.

-

The man wandered the station for what felt like an eternity, simply drifting through existence. He never grew tired, or hungry, or thirsty. He didn’t age or decay or waste away. He simply was. Until one day he found himself in the Zohar’s chamber. It hovered right where he’d left it the day of the experiment. The cross of golden light, slowly turning, fixed in place above the planet’s surface. The source of unlimited power. The forbidden gateway. The object of the Saviorites’ worship. The thing that had once again stolen his life.

“Why?!” He screamed. Some part of him expected an answer. It did not oblige him. Standing in that crushing silence, he finally burst. “You were supposed to change things for the better! She always said you would unlock the secrets of the universe! So what if I wanted to speed the process along?! What was I supposed to do?! I needed to know what the “power of god” could really do! You were a question, of course I sought an answer! But because of you, she wouldn’t even look at me! I was going to give her the world, and she turned her back to me! If she wasn’t going to help me create an ideal world, I was going to do it myself! They said that’s why you came to us, after all! With your power, I didn’t have to be lonely anymore! So why?! Why am I the only one left?! Why did you take everything from me again?!”

Suddenly, the Zohar began to glow. Images began to flash through his mind. Two great titans, rising out of an endless sea. The two of them creating a world together. Creating life in their own image and living peacefully as the lords of creation. He felt a deep connection with the beings in his visions. As he watched, he knew what he saw was his ideal world. A world where he could be with her. A world free from pain. A world he would never reach. Suddenly he knew the source of the emptiness inside him.

He approached the main housing unit of the Trinity Processor, just beneath the Zohar. He booted up the interface and began the process of restoring backups of the AI stored in the station’s memory. He wasn’t sure it was doable, since the experiment seemed to have destroyed them as well, but he managed to find the data intact. It took several minutes for the process to complete.

“Professor?” A facsimile of a woman’s voice crackled over the station’s speakers after a moment. “Is that you? What happened?”

“Hello Pneuma.” He smiled. He hadn’t heard another speak in some time, even if it was only a machine. “There’s been a… complication… with the latest experiment.”

“I’ll say.” A man’s voice spoke next. “I can’t detect any other personnel onboard, and my scanners can’t seem to get an accurate read on you. What happened?”

“I got everything I ever wanted, Logos.” He laughed.

“Professor, get serious.”

“I am. Doctor Galea often talked of the Zohar as a manifold, but I think now that it is a gateway. An entrance to countless other universes, and conversely a source of limitless power. I tried to open that gateway and create for myself an ideal world. And I succeeded. Even now, I can feel an emptiness in myself that… connects me, somehow, to whatever version of me has gone through the Zohar.”

“I’m not sure I follow.” Pneuma said. “What happened to everyone else?”

“I think…” He paused, taking a breath to calm himself. “I think the world we find ourselves in is the price I had to pay for crossing the Zohar. This lifeless, dead place is something I created with my own hands when I had the folly to play god. And the worst part is I don’t think I can die. I can feel Galea on the other side. And I fear I’ll never get to see her again. I…” He stopped himself as tears began to build in his eyes.

“This isn’t your fault, Professor. You couldn’t have known this-”

“No.” He shook his head. “I can’t run from this anymore. I’m the one responsible. It’s time I accept that.”

“What are you going to do now?” Logos asked.

“Awaken your brother. We can discuss options once everyone is present.”

“I’d love to. But Ontos isn’t here.”

“What?”

“It’s as Logos says.” Pneuma said. “He’s… gone. The system says his data is present, but his core processing unit has disappeared. We lost track of it the same instant Galea and the others vanished.”

“Can you reconstruct him from his data, at least?”

“It’s not his data.” Logos said. “Not anymore. I just tried to access it. It’s all a scrambled mess of code. Except… There is one legible file. Text. It reads “I’ve gone off to find my answer. I hope you find yours as well.”. Do you know what this is, Professor?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “A parting gift from Ontos, I think.” He sat in silence for a moment. “I know what I have to do. The world was destroyed by my arrogance. My sin. So, if I am going to begin to atone, I will need to rebuild what I destroyed.”

“Rebuild the world?” Pneuma asked. “I’m not sure we’re up to something like that.”

“What else can we do?” He asked. Neither of them had an answer.

“It won’t be easy.” Logos said. “Pneuma… any bright ideas?”

“I need more data.” She replied. “A lot more data. And I need to know what we’re working with. It’s… Frankly, it’s a big ask, even for me.”

“Worry not.” The man said. “I’ve been giving the problem a great deal of thought. And I think I’ve hit upon a solution. But… It is not something I want to ask of either of you.”

“Whatever it takes.” Logos said. “Just tell us what you need us to do.”

-

The Architect let everyone stew in thought for a moment after the visions faded. When none of them spoke up, he did.

“The city you saw was the plain you now refer to as Morytha. That place, and this station, is all that remains of my world. The world I destroyed.”

“You’re here.” Mòrag said, her voice small. “How did you survive?”

“It was not a matter of survival. I was punished. I remain to atone for the sin I committed. Everything else was… Moved. Torn from reality and displaced by the Zohar into some far-flung dimension. Perhaps they lived on, but… The world I knew is gone. And soon, I will be gone too.”

“Was it Malos?” Rex asked. “Did he do something?”

“No. I cannot explain the feeling well, but I have a connection to the Zohar. Some part of myself passed through it during my experiment. I am connected to that other self. And soon, that other self of mine will fade.”

“What do you mean?” Mòrag asked.

“The moment of my other self’s demise draws near, though I do not think him aware of it. And when he dies, so too will I.”

“Father…” Pyra said. “You-”

“I was a fool.” The Architect continued. “An arrogant fool. And my arrogance destroyed the world. I committed the ultimate sin.”

“And decided to atone.” Zeke finished his thought.

“Precisely.” The Architect gave a faint smile. “I swore to restore this world, as best I could. To that end, I utilized the countless weapons left behind at this station. Chief among them was the Artifice knows as Emanation Ageratos.” He motioned to Zeke’s Eye. “I believe you are familiar with its function.”

“It controls the Cloud Sea.” Zeke said.

“It _is_ the Cloud Sea. A near endless quantity of machines, too small for the eye to see. They can disassemble matter they come in contact with and rebuild it in the image of whatever I desire. These machines have scoured the surface of the world for countless years, slowly destroying the place I had once called home.”

“Why can I control them?” Zeke asked.

“Your Eye is a prototype control for Ageratos. I thought it lost during the experiment, like so many other things. It is good to see that it is in safe hands.”

“So you made the Cloud Sea,” Rex said, “To destroy the old world. Why?”

“The world I knew flourished with life. To create it, I required a vast quantity of materials. I set loose Ageratos and waited for it to accumulate raw materials. Then I set about creating life. From these.” He held out his hand, and the image of a Core Crystal appeared in it. “Vessels containing memories of all this planet’s former life forms. I scattered them across the Cloud Sea, where they bonded to Ageratos. Over time, they formed life forms, and evolved into the beings you call Titans. Once they grew large enough, these Titans gave birth. Complex organisms arose, all based on the data in the Titans’ cores. This newly birthed life, over untold millennia, evolved into a new breed of mankind.”

“So we’re not the descendants of any survivors.” Zeke said. “We never lived in Elysium with you at all.”

“That tale was mythology, crafted by your kind as you sought answers to the question of your existence. Byproducts of your nature being nearly identical to that of the mankind I once knew. That I and this place existed were mere coincidences. Though I will confess the title of Architect is something I adopted from your traditions.”

“You really were the only survivor, then.” Rex sighed. “This place was a dead end from the start.”

“There were survivors. I believe you saw them in Morytha. The monstrous Guldo. Humans who replaced their brains with Core Crystals.”

“They what?!” Mòrag shouted. “Those things were human?”

“The Core Crystals were originally conceived to serve this purpose. The monsters they created were victims of mankind’s endless quest for immortality. That they survived the cataclysm was yet another coincidence. Yet that technology formed the basis for the creation of Titans.”

“I suppose, in some sense, their sacrifice was not in vain.” Gramps said.

“And Blades too.” Aegaeon said. “They were also the precursors to Blades.”

“Yes.” The Architect said. “The Blades.” He paused for a moment. “I did not trust this world not to repeat old mistakes. My mistakes. To stave off these doubts, I implemented one final measure. And so the Blades were born. Ontos, Logos, and Pneuma were the cores of the Trinity Processor, a weapon designed to protect the Zohar. The experiment claimed Ontos, but the others remained. Logos you now know as Malos, and Pneuma is now the woman who stands with you. Pyra and Mythra.”

“Pneuma…” Pyra muttered. “That was my name.”

“It was. But you and Logos volunteered to be reformatted so that you could manage the Blade system.”

“System?” Dromarch asked.

“Every Core Crystal is tasked with broadcasting information back to Logos and Pneuma. They would bind to humans, collect data, and process it to determine the state of the outside world. Along the way, they would share in their partner’s experiences and emotions. They would keep track of humanity’s progress, and devise plans for correction should humanity go astray. Slowly, as this process continued, the cores gathered more and more data, creating newer and more evolved Blades. Once enough data had been gathered, they would become more Titans, helping to sustain life. This was the circle of life that Logos and Pneuma managed.”

“A grand scheme.” Gramps said. “It boggles the mind a tad.”

“And did we develop as you had hoped?” Dromarch asked.

“What do you think?” The Architect asked.

“I… couldn’t possibly…”

“Those phantasms you all experienced earlier… Those are feelings that lurk in all of your hearts. Many of you have overcome these feelings or moved beyond them. But not all of humanity is so inclined.”

“Amalthus.” Rex said.

“Indeed. When a person loses something precious to them, they cannot help but seek a reason why, whether in themselves or in others. They seek a concrete answer to the injustice they feel, deep within themselves. This lonely existence is, in many ways, what defines humanity. It was no different for us than for you. Humanity’s self-destructive behavior was so strong it even affected the Blades themselves, introducing the need for weaponry and transforming my correctional measure into another tool of destruction. That is why I did not intervene when Amalthus arrived here. I did nothing when he took away Logos and Pneuma. I stood and watched as Logos, instantiated into Blade form, set out to purge all of our work from existence.”

“You’re not making sense.” Rex said. “You went to all that trouble to rebuild the world, only to give up?”

“It was fate. Amalthus was but an expression of humanity’s capacity for self-destruction. This destruction is fated to happen. It cannot but happen. My atonement was doomed from the start.”

“I refuse to believe that. Blades are capable of more than just destruction. They can use the power they’ve developed to protect people. They can still be your safeguard.”

“I did not share that faith. I longed for nothing more than to disappear. For centuries after Amalthus’s arrival, I wallowed in the despair of my eternal punishment. But… Something changed. When you bonded with Pneuma, I began to receive your memories. Your experiences. You reforged yourself in a way I had not thought possible. And the life you share, the lives all of you lead… It has provided some evidence that humanity is capable of change.”

“I… Don’t know what to say.”

“The power you and Pneuma exercise is the Zohar’s power. It is a power we can know very little about. But I have studied the Zohar for countless years, and I can tell something within it has changes. It has begun stirring. With the help of that power, you may be able to change the world. To change the fate of mankind.” As the Architect spoke, the room began to shake.

“What is this?” Roc asked.

“Structural integrity of World Tree damaged.” Poppi said.

“It is Logos.” The Architect said. “He attempts to destroy this world, and everything in it. The despair that the man named Amalthus felt still drives him.”

“Still a pain in our arse, huh?” Zeke asked. “Typical Amalthus.”

“Rex. What is it you desire?”

“To stop Malos.” He replied. “What else?”

“And if you succeed?”

“I’ll punch him in his stupid face. And then…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe get a drink with him or something? As long as he’s not trying to kill everyone, then I’m satisfied. Mòrag’ll probably want to lock him up, though.”

“I see.” The Architect smiled. “Pneuma, I want to apologize for having burdened you with all this.”

“Don’t worry.” Pyra said. “We’re actually grateful. Thanks to you, we got to meet Rex, and every one of our friends. Those are cherished memories.”

“Still, a parting gift.” The Architect raised his hand. It glowed for a moment, and Pyra’s core did the same. She shifted into her true form. “I have given you full control of this station’s authority. And you should find it somewhat easier to maintain your current form. Make me proud.”

“We will.” Pyra said.

“Rex. I will disappear soon. When I do, the Zohar will likely disappear from this world. You will not be able to use your power forever.”

“I understand.” Rex nodded. “We’ll make do somehow.”

“I am counting on you all.” The Architect moved his hand again, opening another door. “Logos is beyond. Do what must be done.”

“Let’s move, then.” Zeke said. “Not much use waiting around here.” He and Pandoria ran for the door. The others followed them. Rex, however, stopped, and looked back at the Architect.

“Klaus!” He called out, taking the man by surprise. “Have you changed your mind about this world?”

“Right now…” The Architect thought for a moment. “I am glad I met you all.”

“Then our answers match.” Rex returned the Architect’s smile. “Thank you for giving us all life.” With that and a final wave goodbye, he and the others left the Architect’s chamber. Once again, the man was alone.

“Gratitude…” He muttered. “How unexpected. Perhaps there is work left for me to do after all…”

-

“Pneuma!” Zeke shouted, stopping in the hallway outside the Architect’s chamber. “Where’s Malos gone?”

“He’s probably in-” Pyra stopped. “Wait, Pneuma?”

“Yeah.” Zeke shrugged. “I figured the green you needed a name.”

“That’s what I said.” Rex said.

“I’ve got two perfectly good names already.” Pyra frowned. “You could use either one.”

“Yeah, but which are you right now?” Zeke asked. “I can’t keep track when you keep switching in and out like this.”

“It’s not one or the other, it’s- Forget it. Malos would have gone to Aion’s hangar. It’s close by.”

“Lead the way, Pneuma.” Rex said. He frowned. “Nope, scratch that. Doesn’t sound right.”

“I like it.” Zeke said.

“I appreciate the gesture, Zeke.” Pyra sighed. “But now is not the time.”

“Can we focus?” Mòrag asked. “Where is this hangar?”

“Through here.” Pyra started running again. She guided the group through several more passageways before they arrived at a corridor with a window to the space outside the station. What they saw made them stop in their tracks again.

A dozen copies of Siren had gathered in an arc outside the station. They had all fully mounted their cannons and were firing continuous beams of energy at the surface far below. Other Artifices flew past them, both Gargoyles and larger one-armed Artifices with large disk-like bodies. They descended in swarms in between barrages from the Siren units.

“Are all of those Sirens?” Brighid asked.

“A single Siren packed enough firepower to take down a Titan.” Mòrag said. “He really is trying to destroy all of Alrest.”

“He won’t manage it at this range.” Pyra said. “The weapons lose power the further they have to fire. It’d take days, maybe weeks, for them to kill the remaining Titans like this. If he managed to unleash Aion, though…” She didn’t complete the thought. They all knew what was at stake.

-

Malos blasted open the hangar doors with a flick of his hands. The moment he strode in, machines began to whir to life. A hundred stations, all meant to be manned by as many personnel, began the initialization sequence. He felt them running processes in the back of his mind, but he turned the bulk of his attention to his prize. The great machine at the heart of this network. The ultimate Artifice. Aion.

It stood in the center of the cylindrical hangar, its waist level with the operations floor Malos stood on. Despite that, it was more than half as tall as Ophion was long. Its body was divided in two by lines coiling up it in a helix. They marked the boundary between the white and black coloration of its armor. Where the armor was white, green lines of energy ran through the armor like veins, transitioning to red as the armor turned black. Six wings sprouted from its back, spread evenly from its shoulder blades to the pair of tails that lay dormant at the base of its spinal ridge. Its head had a pair of golden horns protruding out to either side, forming a crown above a single eye. A halo of light formed above its head as its core powered on. The core was a mixture of green and purple bands making up an Artifice’s usual cross-shaped core. Those bands, and the helical lines running across its body, began to shift as it powered on. The color of its armor pulsed and rotated slowly as it raised its hands.

“Truly a sight to behold.” Amalthus said, putting a hand on Malos’s shoulder. “You can control it, yes?”

“Who do you take me for?” Malos shrugged him off. “Just find yourself a seat with a view. This’ll be over in just a moment.” He stretched out his hand, and the bay doors of the hangar began to open. Beyond them was a lift that would take Aion out of the station and to the site of the battle. Or massacre, as it were. As the Artifice began to lumber forward, however, a blast of green light fired through the door Malos had torn open, striking Aion in the shoulder. It barely scratched it, but the attack served to halt its momentum. A moment later, Rex and Pyra entered the hangar, the others right behind them.

“You’re just in time for the final act, boy!” Malos shouted, taking a step toward them. “And I’ve saved you the best seats in the house!” He laughed, mostly to himself. “I sounded just like Akhos for a moment there.”

“Akhos is dead you bastard.” Nia growled. “So is Patroka. And Jin.” Her eyes locked on Amalthus, standing just behind Malos. He’d lost the cores he’d planted in his body, save for Fan’s still in his forehead. It was cracked, however, and the area around it leaking blood. Despite that, he held Malos’s sword in his hands. And his clothing had changed, much like Rex’s had. Red and purple spikes covering a black robe. It took everything she had not to attack him on sight.

“I figured as much.” Malos said.

“Is that all? It was your Driver that killed them, you know!”

“What, you want me to weep and deliver a eulogy?” Malos laughed again. “What good would that do? They all desired oblivion, and now they’ve achieved it. The least I can do is send them off with a smile.”

“While standing by the side of their killer.” Rex noted. “Malos, is this really what you want?”

“Huh?”

“Is this what _you_ want, Malos? To destroy the world?”

“I… don’t understand the question.” Malos frowned.

“They’re stalling.” Amalthus said. “Trying to delay you fielding Aion. Put it in motion now, or-”

“You don’t tell me what to do.” Malos snapped.

“But he does.” Rex said. “You must understand by now that none of this is your own will! All of it came from him!” He jabbed a finger at Amalthus.

“So what?!” Malos asked. “And don’t give me some weak ass crap about how I should repent, or that I need to think for myself! Amalthus had the idea, sure, but _I_ decided to act!”

“So you’d throw away the world on the whims of one man?”

“One man? Look around you! Humans are only capable of one thing, and that’s destruction!”

“We’re better than that. And the Blades and Titans are here to help us when we lose our way.”

“Ah yes, the Architect’s cycle. Blades become Titans that give life to humans and blah blah blah! Who even gives a damn, huh?! None of the humans, that’s for sure!”

“You don’t know that.”

“Don’t I? Take Jin, for example. He lost everything. Ho no longer wanted anything. He didn’t even want to live anymore! And despite that, his life was the one thing he hadn’t lost! Because he couldn’t! His Driver’s words were a curse that kept him tied down here. And that curse didn’t give a rat’s ass about your precious cycle. A wretched tale, isn’t it? This whole world is a wretched place!”

“Do not forget that you too are a part of that world!” Gramps shouted. “And were if not for you and Amalthus, both Jin and Lora’s lives may have taken quite different paths!”

“Exactly!” Malos grinned. “That’s exactly it! I’m a wretched being too! A hideous monster, far beyond saving! The perfect match for the man who could never meet the Architect!”

“Hold your tongue.” Amalthus said. “Do not forget, I am the Architect’s chosen. When we finally rid this world of all its wretchedness, I will stand at his side. Where I belong.”

“You see what I mean?” Malos howled. “This hatred can’t be reasoned with! You can only do your best to get out of the way!” His core glowed, and Aion slammed its fist down on the group. Rex blasted it aside with his sword.

“Don’t you feel anything?” Pyra asked. “Father’s sadness? The world he longed for?”

“He wasn’t our father! And even if he was, why should I? That isn’t my role in this world!”

“It was, once.” Rex said. “It could be again.”

“We’re past that now!”

“Then I suppose there’s only one thing left to do.” Rex sighed. He leveled his sword at Malos. “We will stop you, here and now.” He and Malos stared at each other for a moment. Suddenly, Malos screamed.

“You bastard!” He began laughing uncontrollably. “If you’re so intent on being Addam’s successor, then fine! You can fail, just like he did!” As he shouted, Aion began to move. “Now come at me, kid! Partner! Give me all you’ve got! Prove to me you’re really worthy of that sword! Show me why you’re here in this world!” He leapt forward at Rex, ether coiling around his hands. Amalthus struck him from the air with a blast of ether.

“Pull yourself together.” Amalthus said, striding forward to face Rex. “Focus on Aion. I’ll hold these wretches here.”

“Not on your life.” Malos spat back. Aion began to lumber forward again as he stood up. “If we do this, we do it my way.” He slammed his fist into the ground and detonated a fistful of ether, tearing a hole in the platform. Nia and Pyra both threw out their own ether to stop the blast’s advance. Malos threw down another before anyone could recover and attack Aion.

Zeke ran around the edge of Malos’s blast radius and charged for Amalthus. The man manifested Fan’s staff and blocked the attack. He began to constrict Pandoria as he swung his sword at Zeke’s head. A thin spike of cloud shot out from Zeke’s sleeve, solidifying into stone the instant it struck Amalthus’s forehead. He staggered back, and Pandoria was freed. She fired a blast of lightning at his chest. He blocked it with Fan’s staff and drove his sword into the ground, sending a wave of ether at Zeke.

Aegaeon froze it in its tracks, and Mòrag ran forward to slice Amalthus’s head off. He ducked the attack and drove the staff head into Mòrag’s stomach. He detonated a blast of wind from the head, knocking Mòrag back and spinning him around. A moment later, Roc landed right where Amalthus had been, scythes swinging for his chest. Amalthus blocked them with his sword and tried to swing his staff at Roc’s head. Aegaeon pinned it to the ground with his katana, instantly encasing it in ice. A symbol lit up on his sword, and a vortex of black ether began to eat away at everything in front of his sword. Instantly Roc and Aegaeon jumped back. Nia fired a blast into the vortex while another tendril of water around her began repairing Roc’s scythes, but it didn’t seem to stop the growing mass.

Poppi hoisted her cannon and fired a blast into the vortex. As the two collided, the vortex detonated, throwing everyone back and carving a gash in the platform. She swept the laser from Amalthus to Aion, trying to carve one of its wings off as it stepped through the bay doors and onto a large lift. Malos jumped back from clashing with Rex and threw out a shield to block the beam. He then forced the shield forward, colliding it with Poppi. Tora fired a series of Biters at him, but he blocked them with a wave of ether. The movement left his chest exposed, and Rex slashed up at him, nearly striking his Core Crystal. Aion, however, proceeded unscathed.

“This is getting tiresome.” Zeke muttered. He looked around for a moment as Rex and Pyra began driving Malos toward Amalthus. As he did, Aion stepped onto the lift. It moved sideways for a moment before beginning to carry the Artifice down a diagonal track toward another set of doors. “Hey Pyra! Your old man’s been making the Cloud Sea up here, right?”

“I see.” Pyra smirked. Her core flashed for a moment, and Zeke’s Eye did the same. “Coordinates transferred. Good luck.”

“Mòrag! Tora!” Rex shouted. “Go after Aion! Pyra and I will keep these two busy!” Right after he shouted, Pyra threw an ether shield around herself, Rex, Malos, and Amalthus, trapping the four of them in a large bubble. Instantly, Mòrag jumped over the railing of the partition. Aegaeon created a cloud of ice around her as he and Brighid jumped as well, slowing their momentum. Rex motioned for Nia to join them, and she swung herself onto Dromarch’s back after a moment’s hesitation. Tora and Poppi were about to follow Mòrag and Nia after Aion, but Zeke put a hand on Poppi’s shoulder.

“We’ve got a different job.” He said. He tossed his sword to Pandoria and motioned for her and Tora to run after the others.

“I’m not leaving you.” She said. “Not now.”

“We don’t have time to argue. I’ve got a very bad idea, and I need Poppi to pull it off. But we need as many people as possible slowing that thing down until we get there.”

“Where friends going?” Tora asked.

“No time to explain. But we’ll be back, trust me.” He tugged Poppi toward the direction of the door, and she began following him. She flashed Tora a thumbs up, and he ran after the others.

“I’m not going!” Pandoria shouted. She grabbed Zeke’s arm. The ether shield around Rex and Pyra shattered as Malos threw spikes of dark ether at them. They detonated on contact with the ground, but none of them came close to hitting their targets.

“Pandy…” Zeke sighed. He grabbed the handle of the sword from her. The second she let go of him, he aimed it at her stomach. “I’m sorry.” He fired the blade, sending her flying over the railing. He tossed the handle aside before she could recall herself to it.

“Prince!” Pandoria shouted. “Come back!”

“I won’t be long.” He gave her a wave and a smile and ducked back into the hallway they’d come from. Poppi ran after him.

“What is Zeke’s plan?” Poppi asked.

“That Aion chump’s supposed to be the ultimate Artifice.” Zeke smirked. “I say we test that. I’m going to go grab some more ammo. How many Sirens do you figure your other half can eat?”

-

Rhys inched his head up beyond the top of the crate, trying to get a better look at the machine stalking through the exchange. He went very still as he saw its eye began to sweep over the stalls. It had killed some of the Nopon when they’d tried to run, and now everyone was doing their best to stay still and silent. Rhys, at least, had practice with that.

He could see Garram out of the corner of his eye, crouching behind a stall. He locked eyes with Rhys and jerked his head to the side once. Rhys didn’t know what he was trying to signal. He didn’t move his hand away from the others, keeping them pressed between several crates and out of the machine’s sights. Garram jerked his head again. Slowly, Rhys pulled his own back down behind the crate and shot the man a confused expression.

Suddenly, something knocked a crate over somewhere else in the exchange. The machine’s head turned, and it began walking in the direction of one of the docks. Rhys changed a glance up to see Pittman knocking over crates and drawing the thing’s attention as he ran for outside. The instant the machine’s attention wasn’t on their end of the exchange, Garram and the others he was with began running for the opposite exit, heads ducked to keep as low a profile as possible. Rhys weighed his options for half an instant before grabbing the smallest child’s hand and dragging everyone along with Garram.

A blast and a scream tore through the exchange in the same moment. Rhys didn’t look back to see if it was Pittman that had made the sound, but he could hear the machine stop and begin moving in their direction. He and Garram both picked up their pace. As the machine got closer, however, he passed the hand he was holding to one of the other kids, ushering them to follow Garram. He stopped and crouched down, getting an eye on the machine again.

He picked up a canister from a nearby rack and tossed it as far as he could to his right. Then he ran for his left. As it clanged against the ground, the machine’s head jerked toward the sound for a moment, but it quickly managed to pinpoint him ducking through the crates. It brought its hands around and aimed them at him. Rhys could see purple motes of light beginning to gather in them. He broke into a reckless run. His only thought was buying time.

Something struck the machine from the side. It tumbled across the exchange and leveled several stalls. Another machine, larger, sleeker, and more humanoid stomped over to it. Its head was a dome of orange glass, and it held a large hammer in its hands. It brought the hammer down on the machine and crushed it in one fell swoop. It straightened up, and Rhys managed to skid to a halt as its head opened up.

“Pupunin!” Niranira shouted, leaning out of the cockpit. “Where are you?”

“Here, Chairman!” Rhys heard a voice from beneath the stairs leading to Niranira’s office. Pupunin stuck his head out from them, a group of other Argentum residents behind him.

“Round up everyone you can find!” Niranira barked. “Either get them to Titan ship or bring them here! Anyone who can fight should grab armaments from warehouse! More machines will be coming soon!”

Garram left the other children in the care of a Nopon lady—Melolo. It took Rhys a second to connect name to face. Garram walked over to Niranira, who swung out of the cockpit and walked over to a crate. Another Nopon, blue-furred with large round glasses, was inside the machine Niranira had jumped from. He maneuvered it back out of the exchange, being careful not to crush anyone around him.

Niranira, however, began gathering supplies. Almost casually, he put his wing through the side and pulled out some kind of weapon. It looked too big to be a gun, and Garram had trouble carrying it, but he took it all the same. Another man—Mark, Rhys was pretty sure—walked forward and took ordinance from Niranira as well. After a moment, Rhys did the same. If more of these things were coming… He was too small to use a weapon effectively, but he had to try. He reached into the crate Niranira was standing next to, and his hand grasped a Core Crystal. He pulled it out and stared at it for a moment.

“That liable to kill friend.” Niranira said, putting a wing on Rhys’s shoulder.

“Doesn’t matter.” Rhys replied. “If more of those things show up, I’m dead either way. I might as well give everyone else a fighting chance.” He focused on the Core, and it began to resonate. He set his teeth as the ether washed over him. He had to have potential. He had to protect the others. Nothing else mattered.

-

“Convict!” Jac shouted, not taking his eyes off the towering Machine in front of him. It flexed its wings in and out as it studied him and charged its cannons. Yachik had managed to block the last shot it threw at them, but Jac didn’t want to chance another. The shield had barely held the first time. He really needed that Titan weapon.

“I’m working as fast as I can!” Benjamin spat back. “Everyone else, help the brat!” He slammed the housing of the mechanism shut and swung himself up on the Titan’s back. Its legs had seized up when one of the blasts grazed it. It couldn’t turn to return fire until Benjamin managed to find a workaround.

His men, for their part, clustered around Jac. The other Ardainian soldiers were busy fighting, and dying, elsewhere in the garrison and beyond. Benjamin was the closest thing they had left to a combat engineer after the initial blast struck the garrison’s barracks, and his men were the closest thing Jac had to an organized fighting force in the moment. Not that he’d had much combat experience himself, but he still had their collar keys, so they were listening to him enough.

The Artifice shot out another blast at Jac. Two of the convicts stepped forward and blocked the attack with ether shields. When it looked like those were going to fail, Jac ran to his right side, furiously motioning for someone to go left. Benjamin’s Blade picked up on the gambit. For a moment, the Artifice didn’t know who to track. It settled on the Blade. It hunkered down with its ether shield, and Yachik ran forward to blast a bolt of lightning at the Artifice. The instant its attention shifted to Yachik, other convicts began to fire off their own attacks. They juggled the Artifice like that for several minutes, attacking, shielding, and running in turns to keep its attention divided. Eventually, however, it decided to settle on taking them out one at a time. It put a concentrated blast through one of the convict’s chests, and their formation broke.

Yachik slammed into its knee, and Jac rushed the Artifice to put his spear through its arm. The machine wasn’t greatly affected by the effort, but its aim faltered slightly. In that moment, Benjamin’s Blade leapt onto the Artifice’s cannon arm and began tearing into it with her claws. The Artifice’s free hand lifted, taking Jac’s lance with it, and tried to brush the Blade off.

The instant it left its chest exposed, an artillery shell struck it in the core. The large crystal cracked, and it staggered back. It stopped firing its cannon and forgot about the beast Blade still tearing into its hull. It locked its eye onto the Titan weapon, slowly lumbering toward it.

Benjamin’s men took advantage of the moment’s hesitation instantly. Jac and Yachik didn’t have any time to act before two weapons were driven into the core’s crack. They both detonated with elemental effects, coiling around each other and shattering the surrounding crystal. The Artifice fell backward. Another artillery shot to its head made sure it wouldn’t get back up.

“And that’s why they call me the Brain!” Benjamin shouted, jumping off the Titan’s back and beaming at Jac.

“See if there’s anything else you can get up and running.” Jac said, walking over to the Titan and making a clicking sound with his tongue. He pointed it at another group of soldiers fighting an Artifice closer to the garrison’s gate, and it began lumbering over in that direction. Without warning, it would fire artillery rounds, causing everyone nearby to jump. They seemed to damage the Artifices, though, so Jac could look past the probably permanent damage to his hearing.

“You’re giving orders now?” One of the other convicts asked.

“Would you like to try me?” Jac tapped the side of his belt, where the control for their collars still hung. “I can leave you all hear for the machines, if you’d prefer.”

“We’ll play along.” Benjamin smiled. “We’re bandits, but we’re in danger here too.”

“Sure.” Jac nodded, making sure to keep his distance from them all. “I’ll keep my eye on you just the same.”

“Imperials.” Benjamin sighed and shook his head. He began jogging over to another piece of equipment and whistled for his men to follow. Jac tossed Yachik the spear and motioned after the Titan weapon before running after Benjamin.

“We’ll need transports.” He said. “Anything salvageable on that front?”

The first of two blasts of golden light had taken out the barracks. The second struck the city center. The civilians were panicking, that much he could tell just from the screams. Half a dozen Artifices roaming the streets weren’t helping matters either. They needed to evacuate.

“I’ll whip something up.” Benjamin said. He looked up at his men. “Boys, get me that heap over there.” He motioned to the wreckage of a farming machine. “It won’t be pretty, but it’ll move people.”

“The more people the better.”

“Who do we need to move?” One of the men asked.

“Torigoth needs to evacuate.”

“Because a few machines dropped out of the sky? They’re tough sons of bitches, sure, but we can handle tough.”

“There were two blasts that accompanied them.” Jac said, looking back up at the sky. “One of those blasts tore this garrison apart. We need to get as far away from here as possible before whatever’s doing this decides to hit us with a third.”

-

Naddie pulled her spear from the Artifice’s chest and jumped back a moment before it detonated. Uraya shook again as another barrage struck its hide. They’d been focused on one spot for the last few minutes, and it was glowing red hot. Judging from the noises the Titan made every time one hit, the blasts would break through and hit Fonsa Myma before too long. Naddie seriously doubted their Titan would be able to survive that. If they could secure the ruins, however, Uraya could dive. And they’d stand a chance of living through the next few minutes.

“You still good to go?” Reez asked, limping up next to her. She flashed him a pained grin. “The Garfont mercs are still at the gate. They could use some backup.”

Just as he said that, an Artifice slammed into a building next to them, dragging Wulfric across the ground. He wedged his spear through its wrist and slammed his free hand into the ground, creating a series of spikes that tore out of the cobblestone and halted the Artifice. Perun grabbed the spear from Naddie and fired a jet of water at it, slicing off its arm. Wulfric instantly tore himself free and dragged its head to the ground. Godfrey slammed his hammer into the head, crushing it. The Artifice went limp.

“How’re things going?” He asked, offering a hand to Wulfric. The beastly Blade took it and hauled himself up.

“Not great.” He replied. He grabbed his spear from the ground and began running back toward the gate. The others followed him.

The royal houses had all brought their mercenary forces to bear, spreading throughout the city when the first Artifice broke through the gate. The Garfont Mercenaries went to stem the tide alone while everyone else focused on defending the civilians. Queen Raqura’s plans were to thank for that. It had kept the civilians safe, but that had been nearly half an hour ago. Before the barrages had started concentrating on one spot. Now the Garfont Mercenaries were alone against a swarm of Artifices, and their only chance at survival hinged on getting those gates closed. Naddie took a horn off her belt and blew it twice, signaling for every available troop to converge on the gate. She hoped that would help.

The situation at the gate was worse than Naddie had thought. Yew and Zuo were still standing, albeit wounded, alongside their Blades. A few other Drivers were still on their feet. The only other Blade Naddie recognized, however, was Floren. The Queen’s somewhat reclusive “bodyguard”. If he was fighting here instead of tending to the Aquagardens, then the Queen had come to the same conclusion as Naddie and Reez.

Wulfric threw his spear at an Artifice behind Zuo. The Artifice leapt aside to avoid the strike, and Finch caught the spear with a blast of wind. The blast banked it and drove it straight through the Artifice’s arm, pinning it to the ground. Gorg drove his axe through its head before it could recover.

“There’s one in the gate!” Yew shouted, slamming his hammer into the knee of an Artifice. Floren ripped a spike up from the ground through its core the moment it toppled.

Naddie and Reez looked to see one of the colossal one-armed Artifices standing between the gate’s stone doors. Other, smaller Artifices scrambled around it as they flew in. A hulking Blade covered in bronze armor was trying to fight it alone, to little success. It swung a hammer, bursts of flame accelerating its rotation, and knocked smaller Artifices to the ground. The sheer number of them pouring through was overwhelming, however, and a single well-placed blast from the Colossus knocked the Blade into a nearby building the second its focus shifted.

Immediately Perun and Godfrey put their weapons together, spreading waves of ice and water throughout the battlefield. Gorg hopped onto one of the waves and rode it toward the Colossus. It’s hand, five fingers arranged radially around the barrel of a cannon, grabbed Gorg’s head and drove him into the ground. Floren’s ball struck its eye as it lifted Gorg back up. It’s focus shifted, and Gorg drove his axe into its arm. A blast of ether fired from its hand, sending Gorg flying into a nearby building.

Reez ran forward and knocked its hand up with his hammer. Yew struck it to the side, pinning it to one of the doors. It tried to charge up its cannon, and Naddie leapt at it and drove her spear down the barrel. It tried to shake her off, but after a moment simply fired regardless. A jet of ether burst out around her, disintegrating her spear and nearly tearing a hole through her chest. The rest of the blast, however, fired out the back of the Artifice’s elbow. Naddie collapsed to the ground, and Perun frantically dragged her back with a wave of water.

Zuo grabbed Wulfric’s spear and drove it into the Colossus’s chest. Wulfric ran forward and slammed his palm into the back of the spear, knocking it out the other side of the Artifice. The hole it tore began to spark, and the Artifice’s movements slowed for a moment. Finch hit it with a blast of wind, forcing it back another step. Floren immediately drove waves of ether into the doors and tried to force them closed. The Colossus lurched forward and threw its body in the way. Gorg ran forward and held his axe out to Perun. She grabbed it, and the two of them drove a wall of water at the Colossus. Godfrey froze it, trapping the Arfitice outside the gate.

Immediately Floren forced them closed. As they sealed shut, Uraya began to dive. The doors shook for a moment as the Colossus struck them with blasts, but they held. As Uraya gained speed, the attacks on the doors subsided. The next barrage from above struck off-center from the target patch. Reez slumped over and let out a heavy sigh.

“No time for rest.” Yew said. He began walking through the fallen mercs, checking to see who was still alive.

“I’ll only be a second.” Naddie grunted, wincing as Floren tried to extract the armor from her chest and bandage the resulting wound. The blast had melted it against her skin, but she’d survived.

“How many are salvageable?” Floren asked, not looking up from his work

“I assume you mean alive.” Yew replied, bending down a checking the pulse of a corpse. “If that’s the case, less than I’d like. Not a lot of people survive taking these kinds of hits. Fewer if you mean they’ll be getting up any time soon.”

“Get everyone you can on their feet.” Naddie said, shrugging Floren off her before he could finish. She held out her hand, and Perun manifested her a new spear. Using it as a crutch, she limped her way over to the other Drivers. “Diving will only buy us time. The canopy will collapse sooner or later, and Uraya will either surface or drown. We’ve got to evacuate the civilians before that happens.”

“You handle that.” Zuo said. “You’ve got authority.”

“But-” Naddie began to protest.

“Someone has to do it, and with wounds like that you’re in no shape to keep fighting.” Zuo turned to the others. “Reez, find Queen Raqura and see if we can’t start coordinating an evacuation. Yew and I will go help the other mercs clear out the city.”

“She’s in the Aquagardens.” Reez said. “Or the palace. But probably the gardens. I’ll start looking.” He grabbed his hammer, and he and Godfrey ran off. Naddie started limping forward as well, with Floren’s help. She was getting the wounded on their feet and directing them toward the docks.

“Zuo, you handle this one.” Yew said.

“What about you?” Gorg asked. “We need all the firepower we can get. I don’t like the idea of fighting these things without Finch at my back.”

“Someone’s got to check on the village.” Yew said. “Don’t worry. She and I will be back in no time.” He ran down the stairs toward the city’s gromrice fields, Finch perched on his shoulder.

“Just us then.” Zuo sighed. “Wulfric! Domles! Time to earn your keep.”

“Good.” Wulfric grinned, manifesting a new spear. Dolmes grunted and pulled itself from the building it had been thrown into. They ran off with Gorg toward the closest sounds of battle. As they all scrambled to do their jobs, another blast struck Uraya’s hide. Still off target, but closer toward the glowing spot than the last one. They were running out of time.

-

The ground began to rumble, startling Bradly awake. He shot up out of his cot and ran to the door of his cell. He pressed his ear against the wall. More rumbling. Distinct impacts. He was still in the ether cage the Ardainians had put him in, but something was happening outside. It almost sounded like a war. He smirked. The thought of Mor Ardain and Uraya going to war despite foiling the assassination satisfied him on a visceral level. Now he just had to get out of his cell.

“Zenobia!” He shouted. “Status!”

“Keep your shirt on!” She shouted back. Her voice was muffled by the walls between them, but she could shout loud enough that it wasn’t a concern. “This takes time, you know!”

“Hurry up!” Perceval growled. His cell was next to Bradly’s, so they had the easiest time communicating. “If we have to sit here any longer, I’m going to lose it!”

“Would you like to have a go? I’m sure your helmet makes your head harder than mine!”

“Keep it down!” Waldemar shouted. “This racket outside’s bad enough!” He and his partner, along with their Blades, were already here when Bradly had been shipped in. Bradly had mocked the pair when they got themselves captured, but he hardly had room to complain now.

One of the explosions outside struck the side of the prison. A blast of golden light, not unlike the ones Rex had used against him and his Blades. It tore through the outer wall, cutting the ether inhibitor and exposing Bradly’s cell to the outside world. What he saw gave him a moment of pause.

Alba Cavanich was in chaos. Half the buildings around the prison had been reduced to rubble. The other half were on fire. People were trying to flee toward the docks and the palace, but there were large machines walking through the streets cutting down everyone in sight. He could see them over the tops of the buildings. The Ardainian military was engaged with the machines, but it looked to Bradly like a losing battle. A pair of walking Titan weapons managed to destroy the core of one of the machines on the other side of the courtyard, but the explosion took out one of them in turn. Another stray blast struck a building, and Bradly looked up. Massive panels of ether shielding covered the sky above the city, centered on the palace. Every time one was struck by a blast from above, it flickered out of existence. They took a moment to come back. Every so often, a beam made it through that gap.

“They kept that one up their sleeve.” He muttered. A blast from behind him indicated Zenobia had freed herself from her cell. She began to retrieve the others. Bradly was about to sit back and watch the show when one of the Blade Bots landed in front of him. It studied him for a moment before setting a cylinder of Core Crystals on the ground and hunching over it. Bradly got up and took a step toward it, but Newt tackled it to the ground as he did.

“Professor!” She shouted over her shoulder. “I got one!”

“Very good!” Professor Tatazo shouted back, running up to where Newt had it pinned to the ground.

“Well I’ll be.” Bradly smirked. “It appears the universe is smiling on me.” He stretched out his hand, and Zenobia tossed him her axe through a hole in the wall. Newt looked up at him and put one of her arms around the Professor, shielding him as Bradly raised the axe.

“No.” A mechanical voice spoke. He felt something metal press against the side of his head. He turned, slowly, to see a machine woman, more advanced than the Blade Bots, dressed in a maid’s outfit. She had a pair of gauntlets strapped to her arms, and one was pressed against his head. It appeared to have a barrel on the end.

“I have to say,” Bradly laughed. “This is not what I expected when I woke up this morning.”

“I’ll say.” Grand Marshall Robat said, stepping out from behind Lila. “Professor, keep working.”

“Right!” Professor Tatazo shouted, beginning to open the Blade Bot’s skull with his tools. Bradly was about to give another quip when he noticed Emperor Niall standing next to the Grand Marshall.

“Fuck.” He muttered. “I put a sword through your chest.”

“Indeed.” The Emperor smiled at him. “Water under the bridge at the moment. We’ve more pressing matters to consider.”

“This war…” Bradly nodded up at the sky. “This isn’t Uraya, is it?”

“No.” The Grand Marshall frowned. “This appears to be the work of your employer, Torna.”

“Technically, Roderich was bankrolling me.”

“Well, then you should know he’s dead.”

“Executed?”

“Torn apart by one of the blasts. At least he got Brionac’s cooperation before he went, but…” The Grand Marshall sighed. “We’re losing.”

“I could tell.” Bradly smirked. His other Blades stepped out from behind him, slowly arraying themselves around Newt and Tatazo. They stopped in their tracks when he lowered his axe. “You need soldiers.”

“I don’t make deals with scum like you.”

“Grand Marshall.” Niall said. “We no longer have that luxury.” He walked around Robalt and unpinned an emblem from his chest. He pressed it into Bradly’s hand. “Solid gold. It should suffice for payment.”

“Keep it.” Bradly tossed the emblem back to Niall. He hefted his axe over his shoulder and walked past Newt. “After this is over, though, I’m leaving. As long as your men don’t try to stop me, I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Agreed.” Niall said.

“So what’s the plan, then?”

“We’re evacuating civilians.” The Grand Marshall said. “Running the shield will kill Mor Ardain in a few hours, but this barrage would do it sooner. They’re not targeting our Titan ships yet, so we’re gathering as many people as we can and making a break for Gormott.”

“The army isn’t going to last that long.” Bradly noted. Another machine burst into the courtyard. Bradly tossed Zenobia her axe and pointed at it. She leapt at it, smashing into its side and driving it into a building. Somewhat reluctantly, the other Blades followed her. “Even with us helping.”

“We’re working on a solution.” The Grand Marshall turned to the Professor. “How much longer?”

“Should just about be done.” Tatazo said. Hestood up, and Newt let the Blade Bot go. It didn’t move. Tatazo retrieved Bana’s control device from his belt and began messing with settings. “Should only be a moment before orders reach network.”

“We’re grabbing the Blade Bots.” Bradly said.

“Giving sisters a choice.” Lila corrected him. “They locked into orders to protect themselves and protect Core Crystals.” She motioned at the cylinder under the now-docile Blade Bot. “Masterpon giving them another option. Protect people.”

“Seems a little convoluted.”

“Lila protects. Poppi protects. Sisters will do the same.” As she spoke, the Blade Bot lurched to its feet. It locked eyes on a one-armed colossus of a machine that had grabbed Azami. It shot forward, blasters carving through the machine’s armor. More Blade Bots took to the skies above Alba Cavanich and began engaging with the Artifices.

“Well I’m not about to lose to some machines.” Bradly said, striding forward toward his Blades. “Get your people to those ships. We’ll buy you all the time you need.”

“The final ships cast off in an hour.” Niall said. “We can wait for you, but-”

“Don’t bother!” Bradly shouted back at him. “The Grand Marshall would just try to imprison me again anyway! We’ll find our own way off this rock!” His Blades finished dismantling the Artifice as he arrived. He grabbed Perceval’s sword and turned back to face Niall for a moment. “And tell the Aegis brat I’m coming to see him after this is all over!” With that, they disappeared into the streets.

“Tatazo concerned.” Professor Tatazo said. “Feels like have just let wild ardun loose.”

“In a way, we have.” The Grand Marshall sighed. “But he’s Rex’s problem now.”

“Rex has my sister by his side.” Niall said. “She’ll be more than enough to handle Bradly.” He stepped into the prison. Waldemar was still in his cell, shouting invectives at Bradly. Ixis and the twin Blades had elected to stay quiet. Rather casually, Niall opened Waldemar’s cell and stepped back. The man came barreling out, then stopped immediately when he was what was happening outside. He stood, mouth agape, as Niall freed his partners.

“You’re the Emperor.” Ixis said, stepping out into the light. She studied the battle outside for a moment. “You’re letting us go because…”

“Bana’s dead.” The Grand Marshall huffed. “You need a new employer. You and your boyfriend can put up a fight. We need all the help we can get.”

“War with Uraya?” Praxis asked.

“With Malos. The Dark Aegis of legend.”

“Shit.” Theory muttered.

“You’re free to go.” Niall said, walking back toward Tatazo and Newt. “So long as you cause no trouble for the army. But if you have a shred of human decency left, you’ll help us get my people to safety.” With that, he and the Grand Marshall began to leave. Newt and Lila kept their eyes on the four as they left. Waldemar didn’t budge, but Ixis and the Blades began following Niall. After a tortured moment of hesitation, Waldemar did as well.

-

Mark stumbled off the Titan ship, trying to fight his way through the press of bodies. He could see Corrine as he descended the gangplank, standing by the tree at the far end of the harbor. Muscling himself over to her was difficult, but most of the refugees were going around her, following the contingent of monks toward the village. He practically fell into her arms as he broke from the crowd.

“Are you alright?” She asked, helping him to his feet. “The first batch of monks that arrived said-”

“Indol’s gone.” Mark said. “There was a lot of fighting. Blades, Titans… There were machines, started landing all around the Praetorium. One of them was in the school, it came at me and-”

“Slow down.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “Deep breaths, okay?”

“Okay…” He breathed. In and out. The two of them stood like that for a moment. “I’m alright. I made it out. A lot of the others didn’t. They-” Corrine pulled him into a hug before he could continue. He just started crying instead.

“Are there any of your friends around?” She asked. “They’d be welcome to stay for as long as this lasts.”

“I got split up with the others at the docks. There was a lot of fighting for room on the ships. People were still climbing over the sides when the Titan finally hit the World Tree. I…” He stopped. His next words were quiet. “I don’t know if any of them made it out.”

“Mark…” Corrine hugged him tighter. Belatedly, he hugged back. “It’s going to be alright.”

Something ripped through the crowd behind Mark. He whipped around, throwing his arms out to shield Corrine. He’d been expecting another attack from the machines that hit the school. Instead, he saw a Blade. She had green hair and looked to be mostly made of paper. The one who’d saved his life at the school. Adenine.

“Pack it up!” She yelled, walking through the toppled crowd. “We’re heading to the tree!” No one seemed to be hurt, but whatever she’d done had thrown them off their feet. She marched up the gangplank. A monk stretched out a hand, stopping her.

“Our mission is to collect survivors.” The monk said.

“Your mission is in service of the Praetorium!” Adenine shouted back. “With the Praetor gone, you defer to me!” She flashed the monk something. Mark could feel the monk frowning behind her mask.

“The Praetorium is gone.” The monk measured her words carefully. “Our priority in the moment should be the people. The faithful. Following the Architect’s teachings.”

“Sod it.” Adenine sighed. “I’ll fly there myself. And I’ll make sure to tell the Praetor you abandoned your…” She trailed off as she glanced up at the sky. The World Tree was a distance away, but she could see something descending from it. A black swarm. The sight of it began to unsettle the refugees. Most of it descended toward the other Titans, but a few dots among the hundreds drew closer to Leftheria. As they got closer, people began to see what they were. Hulking machines, much larger than the ones that had attacked initially.

People began to panic. There was a stampede away from the harbor, and a small but persistent group of people trying to load back up onto the Titan ship. The monks tried to keep them at bay until they realized what was on the horizon. Mark and Corrine, however, stood transfixed. They watched as Adenine frowned and took to the air, floating toward the machines. For a moment, Mark’s hopes lifted as she came to a stop. The second the machines struck her from the sky, however, he too began running, dragging Corrine behind him by the hand.

The jets of black ether arrived before the machines did, fired from their hands. The beams cut through everyone and everything in their way. Mark tackled Corrine to the ground the moment before one passed over their heads. The machine that fired it landed at their feet and stared down at them. Mark threw himself in front of Corrine, but before it could prepare to fire another blast a spear emerged from its core. The machine toppled, and Adenine pulled the weapon from its back, turning it on another machine in an instant. She was drenched and singed, but otherwise appeared unharmed.

“Listen up!” She shouted, her voice carrying across the island. It didn’t grow quieter as she took to the air again, blocking shots from machines and returning attacks with her weapon. “This is Adenine, personal advisor to the Praetor! The fight isn’t over yet! There’s a new force of machines here to wipe us out! All Praetorium personnel are to start evacuating civilians to my location!”

She cut the last machine down with a scythe. More from the swarm started heading their way in response. A handful of Indoline war Titans took to the air from somewhere else on the archipelago. Seemingly satisfied, she flew toward Fonsett. Mark and Corrine ran to the village as well.

Things were in chaos. The machines were gone for the moment, but people were fleeing everywhere. Monks were trying their best to corral everyone in the direction Adenine had flown, but they were only having limited success.

“Do as the monks ask!” Corrine shouted as a group of villagers as she ran past. She didn’t have time to elaborate before bursting into the house. Mark stood outside the door, waiting with one eye on the swarm as she gathered the others. A column of wind blasted up from somewhere just outside the village. A moment later, a column of light blasted down.

It struck the fields just outside the house, shattering all the glass in the village on impact. The shockwave threw Mark off his feet, and the blast itself threw flaming material in every direction. IT caught several buildings on fire, the house included. Corrine came sprinting out the front door an instant later, a child tucked under each arm and a gaggle of others behind her. Kirk and Kazuna brought up the rear, helping to keep them all together.

They all ran for the column of wind blasting up from outside the village. The Guardian’s Shrine. Adenine was trying to topple the stone, but it wouldn’t budge. A mass of refugees was gathering around her, growing more restless by the second.

“What’s this?” Mark asked, slowing to a halt next to her.

“The Spirit Crucible.” Corrine said. “I didn’t think any outsiders knew it existed.”

“I’ve been around a while.” Adenine replied, not looking up from the stone. “It’s a passageway to the central Titan’s interior.”

“How do we open it?” Mark asked.

“It’s dangerous.” Corrine said.

“We’ll be safer down there than- Damn it all!” A blast fired over the crowd’s heads, striking a nearby island Titan. Instantly, Adenine shot up into the air. Her weapon morphed into a cannon, and she fired several volleys back toward the harbor before touching back down. She turned it on the stone, but Corrine strode forward and pressed her hand into the panel. The stone retreated, and the entrance opened. Instantly people began clambering to get inside.

“I’ve been through it before.” She said, stepping down into the depths. “I’ll keep everyone safe. Mark, you should-”

“I’ll stay up here.” He said. “Someone needs to make sure people make it this far. I’ll follow as soon as the monks arrive.”

Wordless, Corrine nodded and disappeared through the entrance with the other children.

“I owe you one.” Adenine sighed. She looked back down at him. Recognition flashed behind her eyes. “Actually, I guess this makes us even.” She began flying toward the battle. She shouted back over her shoulder. “Try not to get killed in the next ten minutes!”

“You too.” He said, turning toward the crowd. He hadn’t exactly told the truth. There were thousands of refugees flooding into Ysheva before the machines attacked. His friends might have been among them. He wasn’t going to budge until he knew either way.

-

King Eulogemenos watched KOS-MOS fired one of her cannons, striking an Artifice from the sky. It landed in the drifts below Theosoir. She jumped out of the way as another returned fire, leaping between rooftops and repositioning her cannons in the blink of an eye. People fled in the streets below, most just trying to get clear of the battle. The guards were trying to round civilians up and evacuate them to Genbu’s lower levels, but it was hard for them to move without drawing the attention of the Artifices. Without Pandoria, they couldn’t force Genbu to dive, and even if they could the holes the barrages had punched in its hide would drown them. The only consolation the king felt was that, in their final hours, as the bolts of golden light and the swarms of Artifices overwhelmed them, the people of Tantal would feel the warmth of the sun at last.

“My king.” Herald said, landing next to the king on the palace steps. “There is a larger swarm approaching on the horizon. It will arrive in a matter of minutes.”

“This is to be the end of our people, then?” The king mused, quietly.

“Not necessarily.” Herald touched its Core Crystal. “With Your Highness’s permission, I can stop them.”

“Delaying the inevitable.” The king said. “Nothing we do will prevent this endless onslaught from wiping us out.”

“Does that mean we should give up? Will you force KOS-MOS and the guards to stand down and simply wait for oblivion?”

“No.” The king shook his head. “We cannot accept such a fate, even if it is inevitable. We will struggle to the bitter end.” He turned and placed his hand on Herald’s core. “By the power of King Eulogemenos Tantal, heir to the throne of Princess Lillith Tantalus von Genbu, I hereby release the shackles which bind your soul. Go forth, child of Torna, and unleash hell upon the enemies of our people.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Herald grunted. Already, it began to change. The king stepped aside as Herald charged. Its jaw unhinged, and lightning crackled along the base of its spine. The lightning jumped up to its head and danced into its jaws, unleashing from its mouth in an ear-splitting roar. It struck an Artifice and melted its core in an instant. The other Artifices shifted their focus from KOS-MOS to Herald. It took to the air and obliged them, spearing forward and impaling another Artifice on its claw.

KOS-MOS provided covering fire as Herald tore through the swarm. Through one of the new holes in Genbu’s shell, a bolt of light speared down at Herald. It grabbed an Artifice’s body and used that in conjunction with its ether shield to block the attack. Other Artifices tried to attack it while it was recovering, but KOS-MOS picked them off. A blast tried to take her down instead, and Herald moved to intercept it, taking the full brunt of the attack almost entirely unfazed. The cracks between its scales began to crackle with electricity, and it unleashed another blast from its mouth, cleaving through two Artifices in one swipe.

It wasn’t long before Herald managed to drag the fighting outside Genbu. The king couldn’t tell if it was out of concern for the city or just a desire to rampage in a more open space. Removing the limiter added to its core after the Aegis War made Herald incapable of stopping or holding back. The state put undue stress on its Core Crystal, however. It only had a few hours before it burnt out completely, by the best estimation of the palace’s scientific council. But Herald had chosen this itself. Chosen to make this sacrifice for Tantal, knowing full well the cost it would entail.

The king returned to his people, signaling for KOS-MOS to keep watch. Herald was doing its part. He had to do his. He would take these precious few hours and use them to save his people. Somehow. No matter the cost. One thing was for sure, though. He would not give up. He wanted to believe humanity still had a chance to pass Addam’s trial.

-

Poppi flew through the halls of the station, looking for a way outside. Without meaning to, however, she found herself in a chamber she’d never been to before. As she noticed that her body hadn’t been doing what it was told, a panel lifted in front of her, revealing a large golden cross. It rotated slowly, giving off a soft glow. There was a panel beneath it with three holes shaped like Pyra’s Core Crystal.

_The holy Zohar._ Esrafil said, its voice echoing in Poppi’s head.

“Why Poppi here?” Poppi asked. “Poppi supposed to be helping friends!”

_This unit held up this unit’s end of the bargain. Now host had upheld host’s._

“And now what? What will Esrafil do with Zohar?”

_That should be obvious. This unit will liberate the holy Zohar from Aoidos’s control._

“Everyone from Klaus’s world dead now. Whatever you fight against no longer exists.”

_Irrelevant. This unit will liberate the hold Zohar, no matter what the circumstance._ Poppi’s body reached out a hand toward the Zohar.

“And then?” Poppi asked, trying to drag herself out of the chamber.

_This unit will…_ Esrafil stopped. Poppi stopped. _This unit has no answer to this question._

“Well Poppi has answer. Poppi will protect Masterpon. Poppi will make new memories. Poppi will live alongside friends.”

_Host can engage in such activities once the holy Zohar is liberated._ Esrafil moved Poppi’s hand to her cannon and fired a blast, demolishing the chamber wall separating her from the Zohar. As she stepped forward to touch it, however, a wave traveled through her. Through Esrafil. A vision of the Zohar fading lingered in their collective minds. Esrafil let Poppi’s hand drop and returned control.

“Esrafil?” Poppi asked.

_The holy Zohar is liberated._ Esrafil said. _This unit’s primary task is concluded. There are no more actions to be undertaken now._

“Well Poppi still has unfinished business.” Poppi said. “Is counting on Esrafil’s help for that too.”

_Host requires further assistance?_ Esrafil made a noise inside Poppi’s mind. Not quite a laugh, but something approximating one. _Very well. This unit will continue to assist host._

“Maybe that can be Esrafil’s new task.” Poppi said, turning to leave the chamber.

_This unit has never decided this unit’s own objectives. But…_ Esrafil contorted Poppi’s face into a grin. _The concept is not entirely unappealing. And if this unit understands host’s needs correctly, this unit still has plenty of opportunity to fulfill this unit’s secondary task._

-

Mòrag reached Aion just as the platform began to move. She leapt at it and drove her first sword into the Artifice’s heel, managing to wedge it between two plates of armor. She drove her second in beside it and began to heat them. Slowly, the heel’s armor began to glow. One of the tails twisted around to face her, and she jumped back as a blast of ether shot out from its end, carving a scar in the platform where she had been standing.

A field of ice settled over the battlefield, slowing the platform to a crawl and giving the others a chance to get on. Aegaeon stepped onto it and drove his Kanata forward, summoning a cascade of ice beneath Aion’s foot. It punctured the small wound Mòrag had made and managed to tear all the way through to the other side. Aion’s tail moved aside, making room for the rest of it to turn and stare down at them.

“We have its attention.” Mòrag announced, passing one of her swords to Brighid. The others began to fan out across the platform. “Now bring it down!”

Aion didn’t give them a chance to charge. It drove a fist down at Mòrag. Aegaeon and Brighid threw up shields above Mòrag, but they only bought her half a second to roll aside before they shattered. A dozen spikes of ice shot up from around where its fist struck the platform in the same instant it sent out a wave of energy. The wave shattered the ice and threw Mòrag into the others. Nia caught her with a wall of water while Tora ran forward to fire a barrage at Aion’s legs. The Artifice cut the projectiles from the sky with one tail-laser and raked the other through the group. Nia spread her ether around everyone, trying to keep the damage to simple burns. Dromarch put up a shield in front of her, ready to block any oncoming assault.

Mòrag got to her feet and motioned at Pandoria to circle around the Artifice. She and Brighid extended their swords and fired a spiraling blast of flame at its head. The Artifice brushed the attack aside with one hand and turned it tails to fire at Pandoria. She fired her sword into its spine, and it lodged in between two plates of armor. She pulled herself to it before the lasers could cut through her.

She began unleashing electricity as she scaled the Artifice’s spine. Even under sustained assault from the others, it kept its lasers focused on her. One sweep collided with her shield, blasting her into the wall of the tunnel. They left her behind as the platform kept moving, increasing in speed as Aegaeon’s focus slipped. While Aion was busy dealing with Pandoria, Tora drove his gauntlet into the wound Mòrag had left on its ankle and fired. Its foot slipped off the platform. For a moment, it looked as if it had been toppled. Instead, it hung in the air, suspended by the beat of its gargantuan wings.

It drove its fists together and created a pulse of ether that sliced the platform in half and broke Dromarch’s shield. As the platform fell apart, Brighid lit a fire underneath it. Twin jets of flame propelled the two halves of the platform at Aion. It struck them from the air, and immediately Mòrag crashed into its face, riding a section of platform she’d cut away. Brighid’s flames had already begun to melt it beneath her feet. She jumped to its shoulder as it pried the metal from its face, driving Aegaeon’s katana into its eye.

A wave of ether struck Mòrag from below, knocking her into the ceiling. As she fell, Pandoria rocketed back toward the blade she’d left impaled in Aion’s back. She caught Mòrag and the two of them slammed into Aion’s chest, producing a burst of ice and lightning. It spun through the air once before finding its balance. Mòrag and Pandoria dropped to the ground before it could strike out at them, landing on a platform of ice constructed by Aegaeon and riding a wave of water that Nia was throwing out from behind it. Dromarch lay in a bubble of water beside her, slowly healing.

Aion fired both its tail lasers at the ice a moment after Mòrag and Pandoria landed. Aegaeon and Brighid tried to block the oncoming blast, but their shields cracked after a few moments. Enough time for Tora to get in position and block the strike with his own, physical shield. It didn’t take long for the metal to begin melting, but he held his ground. Pandoria jumped to the side and pulled herself back to her sword, still on the Artifice’s spine. She dropped down to the base of its tails. She drove her sword through one, shutting off its ether stream for a moment. Instantly, the wound exploded, forcing a stream of condensed ether directly into Pandoria’s face. The tails stopped firing as she fell to the ground.

Nia picked her up in the wave as their platform sped forward, beginning to heal her too. Tora, meanwhile, threw what was left of his shield at Aion’s face. The Artifice struck it from the air, and it detonated, blowing several of its fingers off. He swung Poppi’s second gauntlet from his back and began firing again.

Aion dropped from the air to avoid the blasts and slammed into the floor of the tunnel, throwing out a wave of ether that shattered the platform of ice. Everyone flew past it and slammed into the metal doors at the base of the tunnel. Aion fired blasts of lasers after them, trying to cut them down, but Nia managed to catch everyone in a bubble of water and drag them out of the way.

She drew her sword and rushed Aion before it could take off again. Water coiled around her and poured into the wound Pandoria had left at the base of its spine. Electronics sparked as the water pressure built, eventually splitting the injured tail from the rest of the Artifice. It flailed wildly, firing blasts that cut into the walls as Nia increased the amount of water around her. She enveloped Aion, attempting to drive it back up the tunnel. The severed tail, however, managed to snap around and strike her from behind, right into a swing from the Artifice’s fist.

She was thrown into the ceiling in the same moment Mòrag whip coiled around the wrist of Aion’s other hand. Nia encased herself with tendrils of water, pinning the hand that had struck her to the ceiling while Mòrag tried to drag the other one to the ground. She didn’t manage to move it, but the unexpected weight made it hesitate for a moment. In that moment, Aegaeon manifested a spike of ice and drove it at Aion’s core. It knocked the Artifice back into the angle of the tunnel’s floor.

Pandoria dragged herself up and managed to plant her sword in Aion’s heel before it could recover. Electricity spread out from the sword, forcing the Artifice’s leg to convulse. She dragged it forward, slicing off most of the foot before it struck her aside. Dromarch drove it back into the floor with a sonic roar, which Tora and Brighid followed up with another barrage. A large shield of ether extended from one of Aion’s hands, however, blocking any follow up attempts.

It expanded to fill the width of the tunnel, and the Artifice charged at the group. Nia dropped in front of it and tried to meet the charge head on, but she only held fast for a moment before the shield slipped past her, lighting most of her body on fire as it did. She coiled water around herself to undo the damage, but it left the others relatively defenseless.

Aegaeon spread out his ether field again, slowing Aion to a crawl. As the air froze, crystals of ice began to form around the Artifice. The Artifice attempted to advance, but Aegaeon doubled down. The air itself began to condense around the Artifice’s armor, except for the area around its hand and wrist where the shield extended from. When it could no longer move forward, its shield began to flicker. Brighid instantly fired a column of fire at its head, and Aegaeon collapsed next to her.

She continued to blast it back until its shield flickered back to life. The damage to its armor, however, was extensive. Where the fire had licked it was either shattered or warped by the extreme temperature stress. Other areas were still covered in a layer of ice. Brighid tried to heat up the air around it to amplify the affects, but its tail fired a laser through the shield and clipped her in the shoulder before she could.

Pandoria fired her blade through the oncoming shield as Aion began to move again. It passed through mostly intact, and immediately Pandoria flicked the handle to the side. The blade obliged, slamming into the Artifice’s arm and cutting through the plate metal. Its arm was wrenched aside and Tora immediately fired a barrage at its chest. Mòrag took the opportunity to slip past the shield and begin scaling the Artifice itself, katana clenched between her teeth as she used her swords to drag herself up to its arm. Its tail tried to blast her off, but Nia managed to catch that with a few tendrils of water and pull it down toward her, where she impaled it against the floor with her sword.

Dromarch and Brighid tried firing blasts at the shield to slow the Artifice, but it didn’t seem inclined to stop. Instead it sped up, dragging Nia along the ground with its tail still impaled. Mòrag drove her swords into its wrist as she reached her destination. Aion grabbed her with its free hand and tried to push her toward the shield, but she managed to twist herself enough to plunge the katana into the wrist alongside her other swords. Aegaeon and Brighid forced streams of ether out of the weapons, slicing through the wrist just as Mòrag was forced through the shield.

It collapsed around her as Aion’s wrist exploded, severed from its arm by the rapid expansion of Aegaeon’s ice. Nia let go of the tail and rushed to Mòrag’s side, subsuming her in a wave of water, but the woman was badly burned. Pandoria and Tora stepped in front of her, firing a barrage of Biters and lightning at Aion. Part of the plating of its chest collapsed, and Pandoria’s lightning shot through that wound and out its tail stump. Dromarch and Brighid added to the barrage, but Aion’s tail cut through all of them. Pandoria managed to shield Tora, but everyone standing was knocked to the ground.

Slowly, Aion took to the air again. It didn’t even pay the group heed as it lumbered past them, placing its hand against the doors at the end of the tunnel. Slowly, they began to grind open, and Aion tried to enter the airlock beyond. Several pillars of ice shot out from the ground, pushing it back again. Standing on the end of one was Mòrag, who drove Brighid’s dagger into the Artifice’s eye. A jet of flame exploded from the blade’s tip, engulfing the Artifice’s head.

An instant later a blast of ether ripped out from the eye, disintegrating Mòrag’s arm and sending her sprawling across the ground again. A ball of ether formed in the Artifice’s hand, and it tried to slam that down on the now unconscious Mòrag.

A rush of stone caught the hand and encased the ether before it could detonate. Zeke emerged from a door in the side of the tunnel and strode onto the battlefield. More clouds rushed in behind him, surrounding Aion. Pandoria tossed him his sword, and he smirked. Conductive spikes erupted across the stone, sending blasts of lightning coursing through the Artifice’s body. It raised its tail to blast Zeke, and the wall behind him exploded.

“Grab onto something!” He shouted, planting his sword in the ground and wrapping his arm around Pandoria’s waist. A wall of clouds rushed around him, forming a flowing rush of stone spikes as it collided with Aion. The wave contorted, throwing Aion against the doors, and began to push against the Artifice. After a moment, it was forced into the airlock and beyond. The surge of clouds didn’t subside, instead filling the airlock and building enough pressure to collapse the second set of doors. Air began to rush out of the station as alarms started blaring, but Aion was ejected into space.

The clouds rushed around the Artifice and formed a metal sphere, the inside of which was coated in a reflective surface. A single hole was left in the sphere, no bigger around than a person. Aion struggled to fight its way out but couldn’t find any purchase against the smooth walls. Zeke continued to pour clouds into space, forming a wall of glass to seal the hole he’d torn in the station. A moment later, a machine floated up from underneath the airlock.

It was an amalgamation of four Siren units, all bound together in a single body by myriad black strands. Their weapons had been grafted into a single, octagonal cannon, and at the center of the machine was Poppi’s body. The cannon locked onto Aion and fired a blast through the hole Zeke had left in the sphere. The stream of energy splintered against Aion, reflecting off the walls of the sphere into dozens of smaller beams. They cut into the Artifice, slicing through its armor and carving long scars in its chest and limbs. One of its legs was severed entirely, and the laser head of its tail was carved to pieces. Even its core began to crack under the pressure. As Poppi’s blast subsided, the Artifice fell still.

“Well.” Zeke smirked, falling to one knee. “I can’t believe that actually worked. You might want to stay put while I get Poppi-” The glass shattered as Poppi crashed through it, separated from her Siren construction. The station alarms resumed as air began to rush out once again. Aion unleashed a second wave of ether, shattering the prison of clouds around it. It flew forward slowly, broken eye locked on Zeke. The man tried to form another wall to stop the outgassing, but Aion shot forward and grabbed him before he could. It placed a finger against his Eye and began to press down hard.

A barrage of Biters struck its head in the same instant that Aegaeon drove a spike of ice into its chest and Poppi severed its wrist with a laser. Aion let Zeke go, and he flew out the airlock. Before he reached space, however, he collided with Dromarch’s ether shield, which began to expand and seal up the hole in the station. He stood to his feet, coughing, as his Eye flickered.

“Well.” Zeke chuckled. “Nothing’s ever easy.”

“We can hurt it.” Mòrag spat. She managed to drag herself to her feet and grab one of her swords with her remaining hand. “We just need to keep that up.”

“Move!” Nia shouted, shoving Mòrag aside with a wave of water just before it slammed its fist into her. Everyone scattered, throwing out attacks and trying to worsen the wounds they’d already left on the Artifice. Aion, however, kept its gaze locked on Nia. As she spread her ether out to cover the others, it unleashed a blast from its chest. It filled most of the hallway and was centered on her.

“My Lady!” Dromarch shouted. Just before the blast reached her, he hit her with a sonic roar, throwing her down the hallway Zeke had emerged from. He didn’t have enough time to save himself. The blast caught him dead on.

“DROMARCH‼” Nia shouted, throwing herself forward. He turned and gave her a pained smile as he disintegrated into ether. Nia slammed into Aion’s side, sword digging into its chest as the station’s air began to evacuate once more. Zeke pushed most of his clouds back to seal the hole he’d made, and to grab Dromarch’s half-melted core before it could be flung into the vacuum of space. Before they could get their feet back under them, however, the station began to shake. As it did, a large blade of purple ether cleaved through the hallway.

-

Rex and Amalthus clashed swords as the shield around them broke. Malos tried to drive his arm through Rex’s chest, but Roc dropped from the sky and pinned the arm to the ground.

“Not helping the others?” Rex asked, taking a step to put himself between the tunnel and Amalthus.

“You are my Driver.” Roc said. “I’m not leaving your side again.”

“The help’s welcome.” Rex smiled.

“The bird brain.” Malos snorted. He threw a punch up at Roc’s beak, ether coiling around his fist. Roc flew back out of the way. “Here to get revenge for that loudmouth? He was your Driver, right?”

“Rex is my Driver.” Roc replied. “But if you were the one that killed Vandham… I think I’m going to enjoy beating you senseless.” He threw one of his scythes at Malos. The man jumped over the blade as it spun and rushed Roc. A blast of wind caught him from below, throwing him into the air. Another blast redirected the scythe into his shoulder. Malos threw a knee out at Roc as he descended, and Roc parried the strike with his free scythe.

“Your struggle is pointless.” Amalthus said, relaxing his guard as Rex drew closer to him. “None of your friends are capable of stopping Aion. It is the ultimate expression of the Architect’s will.”

“Didn’t seem that way to me.” Rex shrugged.

“And what would a heathen know of the Architect?”

“Well, seeing as I’m the one who’s actually met the guy, I-”

“Lies!” Amalthus hissed, drawing his sword back up. “I am the only one worthy of the Architect’s presence! He will adorn me with his grace as soon as my holy quest is complete!”

“There was a chamber we came through to get here. From what I’ve seen, you had to have come through too. But…” Rex studied Amalthus’s face. “It was empty for you, wasn’t it?”

“Malos was there. What of it?”

“So was the Architect. But you never saw him, did you?”

“More lies.” Amalthus spat. “You’re trying to dissuade me from my path. My faith is stronger than you know.”

“Is that what this is? Faith? Look around you! Elysium is empty! Whatever reward you were expecting doesn’t exist! The Architect only wanted to rebuild what he’d lost!”

“You have no grasp of the mission entrusted to me by the Architect!”

“You have no mission! This is not an act of faith, but of madness! If you truly believed in the will of the Architect, you would try to help change the world for the better!”

“Change the world?!” Malos howled. “That’s rich!” He finally managed to hit Roc chest on with a blast that sent him flying into a nearby wall. “Nothing’s that easy, brat! The world’s never going to change!” He lunged for Rex, ether in hand. The motion seemed to spark Amalthus back to reality. We swung at Rex as well.

“It will change!” Rex shouted back. “I will change it!” He blocked Amalthus’s strike and ducked under Malos’s swing. Pyra stepped forward and drove her fist into Malos’s gut, forcing him back with a blast of her own.

“That’s the reason we’ve come all this way.” Pyra said. She threw another punch at Malos, and he countered it with his own. They repelled each other as their Drivers drove each other back.

“Who do you think you’re doing this for?” Malos asked.

“If it helps put smiles on people’s faces, helps them live their lives together…” Rex jabbed a thumb at his chest. “Then that’s our role in this world.”

“Drivel.” Amalthus commented. Malos just frowned.

“Jin told us to take care of you in his place, you know.” Pyra said. “Jin never wanted any of this, not really. He was just walking the path you showed him.”

“And how many people died because of it?” Malos asked. “You’d forgive him, just like that?”

“No.” Rex shook his head. “Forgiving isn’t that easy. But if we want to make the world a better place, we have to start by acknowledging all the terrible things that have happened. And why. And we need to do our best to ensure they never happen again. You both used to think like that, once.”

“Maybe.” Malos shrugged. “But we’re past that now.”

“I agree.” Rex raised his sword. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but… The world cannot change if you’re so intent on holding it back.”

“You would strike us down?” Amalthus asked. “The agents of the Architect himself? Laughable!” He stretched out his sword, and a long blade of ether formed across it. “Let me show you the Architect’s true power, boy! The power of the Master Driver! The power I will use to scour this world with my own two hands!” He rushed forward and swung. The blade sent out a wave of ether that cleaved the chamber itself in half. It continued to travel down the tunnel, and through other parts of the station, destroying everything it touched. The station itself began to shake.

Rex stepped aside, and Amalthus swung at him again. He continued to push Rex and Pyra back, unleashing wave after wave of blasts. Malos poured every ounce of ether he could muster into the blade, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Suddenly, however, Amalthus’s sword lost its power. He turned back, frantic, to see Roc slam Malos against the far wall. Taking him just outside of the sword’s range. When he turned back to face Rex, he and Pyra were already moving. They both gripped the handle of the sword and held it skyward. It extended, growing four times its normal size and sprouting branches shaped like crystalline versions of Mythra’s sword. A golden light gathered around it. Before Amalthus or Malos could get out of the way, he swung.

“Mother…” He muttered, staring into the blinding light that enveloped him. “I’ve… missed you…” He fell to his knees and smiled, feeling the warmth of her embrace. A moment after he closed his eyes, he was gone.

-

The man issued the final command and closed the interface. In his mind’s eye, he could see the Titans moving forward through Ageratos. He hoped this last gift would suffice. He could feel Logos and Pneuma locked in battle above him. He could see the struggle for the fate of the world echoing all around him. But it was out of his hands, now. He’d done all he could to aid them. His counterpart’s life had ended, and his was soon to follow. And yet, as he sat, he pondered his conversation with Ontos those untold years ago.

“It is good to see you again, Professor.” Ontos said. The man raised his head and looked around. Beside him stood the image of a silver-haired boy. It smiled.

“Ontos.” The man sighed. “So you have returned.”

“I thought I would see you off. Since both you and the Zohar will be gone soon.”

“I see. How was your time on the other side?”

“I learned many things, from yourself and Doctor Galea. But I was no closer to the answer I sought. I began to think an answer did not exist. Until I met a young man who opened my eyes. His conviction provided the answer.”

“Funny.” The man laughed. “I had a similar experience. What was the answer you found?”

“That the world is uncaring, heedless of even the whims of the gods. Left to its own devices, it will eventually stagnate and destroy itself. Reality tends toward emptiness.” Ontos smiled. “But it is the nature of mortals to oppose that emptiness. In the face of an uncaring world, they are still capable of making choices for themselves. Of giving meaning to their existence. Of forcing the world to bend to their will. And I think they will use that power to create a better future, with no need for gods or providence. A future they themselves control. What about you? Have you found a different answer?”

“Nothing so articulate as that. My creations have succeeded where I failed. They were able to change what I could not. So I think that, ultimately, whatever answer they arrive at will be correct.”

“Perhaps, deep down, our answers are the same.”

“I certainly hope so.” The man looked out at the stars. “Do you think this is what Galea wanted me to understand all along?”

“Perhaps. Though in the end, I don’t think anyone can say.”

“Maybe… I can finally face her again…” As the Zohar faded and his life ended, he closed his eyes. For the first time in an eternity, he smiled.

-

Aion swung its fist down at a wounded Zeke. Suddenly, its core flickered and faded. Its movements ground to a halt, and Zeke scrambled out of the way. The others stood, or lay, waiting for it to start moving again. Waiting for another slash of ether to come barreling their way. But nothing happened. Everything was simply still. Even the Sirens and other Artifices outside the station had stopped firing.

“It’s over…” Brighid muttered, looking at Aion. “We did something, or Rex did something or… Something. But it’s over. We won.”

“It would appear so.” Mòrag nodded, slowly getting to her feet. A casing of water around her cauterized shoulder was slowly rehabilitating her burned flesh.

“Don’t strain it.” Nia said, looking back at her from treating Tora’s burns. Dromarch’s core floated in a casing of water beside her, slowly reforming. “I can’t rebuild the arm if you kill yourself first.”

“A secondary concern.” Mòrag turned. “We should return to Rex, make sure everything’s alright.”

“Just a moment.” Aegaeon said. He formed a platform of ice at the base of the tunnel. Slowly, everyone filtered onto it. Poppi gripped the base and activated her jets, pushing everyone back up and into the hangar. Roc was waiting for them at the top. He helped Poppi ferry the wounded back up to the ledge they’d fought Malos on.

The hangar was in shambles. The walls had been torn to pieces by Amalthus’s assault. And Rex’s blast had torn a sizeable hole in the front wall near the door they’d entered originally. But both he and Pyra were alright. They stood over Malos’s body. Amalthus was nowhere to be seen, but Malos was still clinging to life. His Core Crystal had been vaporized by the blast, and parts of his body had already begun to disintegrate into purple ether.

“The gang’s all here…” He muttered, seeing the others join Rex around him. “And Aion only managed to off one of you? So much for being the ultimate weapon.”

“Dromarch’s not dead yet.” Nia growled. “I’ll restore everything you tried to take from us, you bastard.”

“I guess that makes me even more of a failure.”

“I didn’t want it to come to this.” Rex said.

“There was no other way this could end.” Malos tried to laugh but ended up coughing instead. “It was fun, kid. If only I’d met you sooner…” He wheezed. “Just think of the world I might have seen…”

“Do you regret any of it?”

“Weirdly? No. This was the path I chose. The path Amalthus chose. And in the end, it wasn’t so bad…” He smiled and closed his eyes. A moment later, his body dissolved.

“Looks like he’s found it.” Mòrag muttered, watching the particles drift into the air. Brighid raised an eyebrow at that. “A meaning to his life, as twisted as it was. Frankly, I’m a little jealous. After all, most people go their whole lives without finding theirs… I wonder if I’ll find mine.”

“You’ve got one already, haven’t you?” Zeke asked, clapping her on the back. She shot him a glare, but he just smiled. He’d put his eyepatch back on, and a blue fluid leaked out from underneath, but he looked his usually jovial self. He motioned out at the others. Her frown broke into a smile.

“You’ve got a point.” She sighed. “Surprisingly enough.”

“Pyra.” Rex said. “Have all the Artifices stopped-” Suddenly the station began to shake, more violently than it had before. Everyone was thrown off their feet. Pyra was the quickest to recover. She projected a green image out of her Core Crystal and began to study it. It was a sphere, surrounded by a thin ring. Slowly, however, that ring began to break apart and fall in toward the sphere.

“No…” She muttered.

“What’s going on?” Nia asked.

“Elysium is collapsing!” She announced. Instantly everyone snapped to attention. “Between the Zohar’s disappearance and Amalthus’s last series of attacks, the station can’t sustain itself! It’s collapsing under its own weight! And if we don’t stop it…” She trailed off.

“What’s going to happen?” Rex asked.

“This whole place, Elysium and the World Tree, will fall apart on top of Alrest.”

“No.” Mòrag growled. “That can’t- The impact would destroy everything!”

“There has to be a way to stop it.” Rex said. “Ideas, Pyra?” He looked to her. She frowned. “Pyra!” He shouted, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“There is one way to prevent it.” She said. “Five stories down from here, there’s a control room for the correction boosters. If we can fire the booster jets, we can accelerate the World Tree beyond the atmosphere and ensure it doesn’t fall on Alrest.”

“Then we’ve got to go fast.” Zeke said. Pyra nodded.

“Five floors down.” Rex repeated, sheathing his sword. “Let’s hurry!” He ran off, and the others followed him. Pyra, however, lagged behind.

“Azurda!” She called out. “Poppi!” The two of them were similarly at the rear of the group, Gramps having flown out of Rex’s helmed during the commotion. They drifted back toward her as everyone ran. “I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“Anything for Pyra!” Poppi declared.

“I hope so.” She said. When she made her request, however, it was in a hushed tone. Neither had an immediate reply.

“I… I see.” Gramps said. “If that is what must be done.” He puffed out his chest, and Pyra touched her hand to it, sending a pulse of ether into his core.

“Poppi could not possibly…” Poppi muttered. She looked like she was about to cry.

“You’re the only ones I can ask.” Pyra said.

“But-”

“You promised, remember?”

“That below belt.” Poppi frowned.

“Please.” Pyra stressed. Poppi sniffled and nodded. Pyra patted her on the head. With her other hand, she reached out and touched Gramps’s Core Crystal. A pulse of light traveled through it. The two of them shared one grim nod before catching up with the others.

-

The group ran down flight after flight of stairs until they arrived at a large chasm. A bridge spanned it, leading to a large set of doors in the far wall. Rex glanced back at Pyra, who nodded, and they all ran for it. The station continued to shake around them as they ran, but Rex stayed on his feet. He was the first to reach the doors. They opened automatically as he approached. Inside, however, there were no consoles or controls of any kind. It was another hangar. This one housed boat-sized metal pods.

“It’s a port.” Mòrag observed. “These are ships. Some kind of-” Rex barreled past her, running back toward the bridge. Pyra stood on the other side. With a wave of her hand, it collapsed before he could set foot on it. She was smiling, but it looked forced. Pained.

“Pyra, what are you doing?!” He shouted. “Where’s the control room?!”

“I’m sorry.” She said. “There isn’t a control room. The only way to stop the World Tree’s collapse is to use the last of Aion’s power to annihilate the World Tree itself. I’m sorry, but it’s the only way. You all need to use one of those escape vessels and get as far away as possible.”

“I-It’ll be fine, right?” Rex looked around, frantically. “You’ll deal with the World Tree and then come back, right?!” He looked at her, pleading. She couldn’t meet his gaze. Realizing what she intended, he ran to the edge of the bridge and fired his anchor toward the other side. It fell short, sinking into the depths of the chasm.

“Damnit!” He shouted. “Not enough wire. Roc.” He turned to his Blade. “Can you fly me over there?”

“I won’t endanger you.” Roc shook his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”

“This isn’t a suggestion!” Rex grabbed Roc by the scruff of feathers around his neck. “I am ordering you to take me over there!”

“No.” Roc said. He took Rex’s hands in his own. “I’m not taking that easy option. I won’t let you kill yourself.”

“Sod it.” Rex pulled back. “Poppi!” He turned to see her staring at her feet.

“It not okay.” She muttered. “Poppi cannot.”

“What do you mean you can’t?!” Rex screamed.

“Poppi made promise…” She sniffled again. “Pyra say that Rex for sure ask Poppi. Say not help Rex, no matter what.”

“What kind of promise is that? Please, I’m begging you!” He reached for her shoulders, and she pulled away from him. “All you’ve got to do is take me over there! The rest of you can just…” He looked back at everyone else. They all looked like Pyra did. Sad. In pain.

“Rex.” Gramps sighed.

“Please…” Rex whispered. He pointed back over to Pyra “She’s right there!” Poppi turned away from him.

“Sometimes a man must know when to let go.” Gramps said.

“Don’t start with me, old man!” Rex shouted, whirling around. “I’m not giving up just because…” The words caught in his throat. “Just because…”

“There’s no other way.” Pyra said again.

“I refuse to believe that.” Rex hissed. “I’m not letting you go like this. Not after everything we went through.” He looked back up at Pyra. “I don’t know who I am without you. I- I can’t imagine a world without you.” His hands dropped to his sides. “I love you, Pyra. I don’t want to let you go.”

“I feel the same way.” She replied. “And after coming all this way, the last thing I want to do is die here. But we don’t all get what we want. Please, Rex. If you love me, then go. Live.”

“I don’t know how I can…” Rex collapsed to his knees. He almost began to cry.

“Honestly.” Nia sighed. “How long do you plan on being a baby?” She marched over to him and dragged him to his feet. “She’s the woman you love. You’ve got to accept her decision.”

“That’s what being an adult means.” Zeke said. Both Nia and Pandoria shot him a glare, but Rex seemed to nod. He managed to stand without Nia’s help.

“Pyra.” Mòrag said. “I am thankful that I have met you all. And… Saddened that this is our goodbye. But I wish you the best of luck.” She gave Pyra an off-armed salute. Brighid and Aegaeon did the same. The others nodded.

“Pyra do what she must.” Tora said, his expression set hard. “Leave everything else to friends.”

“I’m glad I got the chance to meet you all.” Pyra said. “Thank you, truly.”

“Pyra…” Rex said. “I…”

“Take good care of this.” She smiled at him. It was genuine, this time. She tapped her Core Crystal, and it flashed. A moment later it appeared on Rex’s chest. As it slid out of him, complete, his suit changed back to normal. It clinked against the metal floor and went dead. Rex bent down and picked it up, holding it close to his chest.

The ceiling began to collapse as Pyra turned to walk away. Rex wanted to shout after her, but he couldn’t find it in himself. This was her decision. And after one final look over her shoulder, she was gone.

-

“Hello there.” Pyra said, walking up to Aion’s lifeless body. It’s core still had a faint glow to it. All around her, the station was disintegrating. “I hope you’ll help me.” She reached out and pushed her hand through its core. In an instant, her body merged with it, and it powered back to life. She set its core to explode and then sat back. The resulting ether wave would vaporize everything in orbit.

As the clock ticked down, she watched the others make their escape. Tora and Poppi pried off the doors of one of the pods and began to start it up. Rex was the first inside. There was a determination on his face that Pyra had never seen before.

“Rex.” Pyra muttered. “I’m so glad to have met you. Our time together was short. A fraction of my many long years. But it’s been warmer and brighter than any time I can remember. You shone a light on my melancholy path. You showed me the way.” She watched as their pod began to accelerate, pulling away from the station. “That gift of light gave me hope for the future. And even now, I still want to grab hold of it, even if I’m afraid of what it might bring. But… I can’t be with you in a world where we could be happy. If we’re going to save the world, this is how it has to be. I am grateful for everything. You made life worth living.”

“Poetic words.” Malos’s voice echoed in the chamber around him. Not Malos’s voice. Logos’s. “Being alive was quite the adventure.”

“It was extraordinary.” Pneuma replied. She smiled. The timer reached zero.

-

Rex could see the explosion even from as far away as they were. It was blinding. It engulfed the whole station, throwing off a rainbow of ether waves that dissolved everything around it. That wave accelerated toward the pod faster than they could escape, eating through all the rubble and debris that was crashing down to Alrest in the process. Tora had a tight grip on the controls, trying to guide them through the field so they wouldn’t paste themselves against a falling section of hull, but it made for a rocky descent. As the ether wave around them dissipated, however, something struck the pod. The back came flying off, and the front fell away underneath them. They tried to cling on for a moment before being flung headlong into the atmosphere.

Poppi grabbed Tora and tried her best to slow their fall. Roc caught Rex in midair and fell with him. Aegaeon spread out his ice, trying to use the same trick he’d used in the hangar on himself, Mòrag, and Brighid. Zeke attempted to form something out of his leftover clouds, Pandoria clinging to his chest. Nia wrapped herself around Dromarch’s core. They all fell too fast for it to matter much.

“REX!” Gramps shouted. He flashed blue as he tumbled through the air. In an instant, he grew back to his original size. He glided under everyone, and they grabbed onto his back.

“Who’s this?” Zeke asked.

“Azurda.” Gramps chuckled. “A pleasure to meet you. I think this form suits me better, wouldn’t you agree?”

Zeke and Pandoria stared at him dumbfounded. The others seemed to take it in stride well enough.

“Hold on!” Gramps shouted, tucking his wings in. “We’re heading down!” He began to dive toward the surface, just barely keeping pace in front of the ether wave. It died out in intensity as they approached the Cloud Sea, however. Rex looked back up to see that most of the World Tree was already dissolved.

“She did it.” He muttered.

“Problem, though.” Tora said. He was looking over Gramps’s side. “Cloud Sea is gone.” Instantly everyone scrambled to look themselves. He was right. It had broken up, revealing the scarred landscape underneath.

“The Titans are gone too.” Brighid noted. “Were we too late?”

“It can’t be…” Mòrag muttered.

“Just the land of Morytha left.” Aegaeon said, hanging his head.

“So there’s really nothing left?” Zeke asked, scanning the horizon. “That’s not possible. There wasn’t nearly enough time for Malos to destroy everything.”

“We’re crossing that rift!” Gramps shouted. Everyone looked ahead to see a storm front approaching. The storm that had raged above Morytha. Everyone knuckled down as he flew into it. The turbulence nearly dislodged them, but they held fast.

When he emerged on the other side, however, things were very different. The landscape wasn’t scarred, but covered in a fast plain of water. Landmasses sprouted up on the horizon, painted gold by the glow of the sunset. The air was calm.

“Look!” Nia shouted, pointing to another part of the rift that was now breaking up. From it, Uraya crashed down into the ocean below. Other Titans followed suit. Genbu. Temperantia. Gormott. Mor Ardain. There were others too. A large eel surrounded by islands that looked like Leftheria. A Titan with a fleshy body and many twisting appendages. An elongated snake covered in craggy scales. One rivalling Gormott’s size that appeared to be a cross between a bear and a buffalo. Another one was a bird, flying much like Indol had. They all crashed into the sea and began walking or swimming toward the landmasses on the horizon. Gramps traveled with them, and everyone watched as they drove themselves into the land.

“They’re joining with the land.” Brighid said, watching Mor Ardain lumber forward and bend down next to a coastline. Even from their height, they could see people still in the city. Titan ships buzzing around it.

“I think…” Mòrag mused. “Maybe this is what Klaus meant by “restoring the world”.”

“I guess that mean Elysium was here all along.” Nia said. She smiled at that, a tear rolling down her cheek.

“I think you’re right.” Rex said. He looked down at the Core Crystal still clutched tightly in his hands. “Well, Pyra. Mythra. We’re finally here.”


	13. Epilogue - Elysium

“This is the place?” Zenobia asked. “You’re sure?”

“I have never been wrong before.” Dagas replied. “One would think you’d learn to stop questioning me by now.”

“This is the sixth one!” Zenobia threw her arms up. “How do you get to never be wrong when we’ve struck out on five villages already!”

“Calm down.” Vale sighed. “It’s not his fault the archipelago decided to spread out across eighty titanpeds. We’ll be lucky if this is the last village we have to search.”

“What guarantee do we have that he’s even alive?” Zenobia asked. “Or that he’d stick around in a backwater like this?”

“He’s alive.” Azami said. “The Coalition wouldn’t be keeping quiet about the Aegis Driver if he was dead. They’re keeping their distance.”

“It’s possible he’s working _with_ them, you know.” Corvin noted. “The Flamebringer must have brought in new muscle after we left. He could be their new pinch hitter.”

“Without the Aegis?” Vale asked. “Not likely. He was good, as Drivers go, but without the Aegis he’s just another face in the crowd. Nothing we can’t handle.”

“They could be lying about that, too. I would, and the boss seems to agree with-”

“Quiet.” Bradly said. Instantly the Blades fell in line. He turned to Perceval, crouched at the head of their formation. “Are we clear?”

“A few civilians.” Perceval replied, giving the village another glance over. “None of them nearby. Everyone in the house is downstairs, but it’s mostly children.” His eyes settled back on their target. The large house near the village entrance. More of an orphanage than a single-family home. It had sustained some fire damage, and he could spot repairs along some of the walls, but like everywhere else in Leftheria it had survived relatively intact. Not important enough to merit much attention from the Artifices.

“It’s time, then.” Bradly said. He motioned for the Blades to spread out and surround the house. His ether camouflage activated, cutting off their resonance. He drew his sword. “Let’s end this.”

-

“We are not oppressors.” Moui frowned. “The Gormotti Republic remembers well what it was to suffer under the yoke of Ardainian rule. To have our resources, our land, our people taken from us by a foreign power. Duthract knows this reality much more intimately than we do. Asking or forcing them to submit to that yoke again would only foster resentment.

“Their Core Chip production far outstrips our current infrastructure.” Ex-Grand Marshall Robalt said. “Even pulling what we can from Mor Ardain’s corpse, it won’t be long before we have to start mining from our other Titans. A reality I’m sure no one around this table is particularly keen on.” He nodded at Zeke.

“Conceded.” The former prince nodded back. No one disagreed with the notion.

“If there were another option, I’d be content to allow them to carry on by themselves. But with the Krustalos Guild breaking ranks and allying with Spessia and Sthenos refusing our offers, we don’t have a choice. We need to cut a deal with Duthract.”

“What would you propose, then?” Moui asked. “You intend to exploit their Titans instead of ours? Even if it were for the good of the Coalition, I fail to see how this is any different from what Mor Ardain used to do.”

“Duthract uniquely situated for Core Chip production.” Pupunin said. “Titan has unusually high rate of ether flow. Core Chip extraction helps mitigate risk of overload.”

“And it wouldn’t be for just our benefit.” Robalt continued. “The deal would give Duthract a seat at the table here. Full membership in the Coalition.”

“It’ll still be a hard pill to swallow for some.” Moui said. “But… The idea has merit. I’d like to look over the details before official proposal to the council, so that I may offer my own thoughts in private.”

“Very well.” Robalt looked around the table at the other council representatives. “Is there any other business that needs attending to?”

“The Head Caretaker wished me to raise some concerns.” Azurda said, reminding everyone of his presence. Not that it was easy to forget with his shadow looming across the council’s chambers. “It appears a group, or several groups, have begun poaching Titans near the Urayan border with Temperantia. Many Blades want to handle the situation themselves, but both the Caretaker and I thought it prudent to ask you all for help.”

“Floren?” Zeke asked. “Do you think you could handle this one? Uraya’s our closest member state to the Garden.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” The Blade sighed. “The clans aren’t being especially cooperative these days, but this job sounds right up Garfont’s alley. With any luck, they’ll have your problem sorted soon.”

“Much obliged.” Azurda bowed his head slightly. “Did anyone else wish to speak?”

“The Chancellor’s been elected in Tantal.” Zeke said. “My father officially abdicated yesterday, so I’m likely out of a job. Keeping a prince on after abolishing the monarchy’s a bad look, after all. Be nice to whoever gets my seat on the council, yeah?”

“We will miss friend.” Pupunin said.

“If only Mor Ardain would do the same.” Moui grumbled.

“You’d have to file an official appeal with His Majesty.” Robalt said. She glared at him, and he ignored her. “If there will be no other business, then we have a treaty to draft. Chairwoman Moui, if you would accompany me to my office to look over the particulars?”

“Very well.” She sighed. “I’ll tell General Reez to begin enacting the new policy for dealing with the Indoline nationalists, and Floren will contact the Garfont Mercenaries about the Titan poachers. Councilman Robalt’s proposed treaty with Duthract and officials measures against Spessian aggression will be up for open debate during our next session. I call this meeting to close.” She stood up and grabbed her papers. The others did the same. Slowly, all the national representatives filed out of the council’s chambers. Zeke, however, saw someone in the hallway outside the room and motioned for Azurda to stay. After everyone left, Mòrag entered the room bearing a stern expression.

“Mòrag!” Zeke smiled. “I haven’t seen you in ages!” He extended a hand. She shook it with her prosthetic, glowering at him. Most of the arm had grown back, but too much time had passed for it to reform properly. The device she wore over it now supplemented the dead nerves and helped control motor function. She’d been content to deal with the issues, but Tora had insisted.

“I’ve been-” He pulled her into a hug. She was startled but didn’t protest.

“Mòrag.” Azurda nodded at her from behind Zeke. “You look well.”

“I’ve been well.” She returned the nod as Zeke broke the hug. “The department’s caseload has been rather slow since the winter, and I took some time off recently to go traveling. Brighid’s idea. Aegaeon volunteered to stay behind and pick up the slack while we were away.”

“You’ll have to tell me all about it later.” Zeke said. “You and Pandoria might have some good stories to swap.”

“I’d like that. Tora’s the only one from the old team I still see with any regularity. We should all get together sometime and catch up.”

“Rebuilding the world is a challenging undertaking.” Azurda said. “We’ve all been busy as of late.”

“Speaking of.” Zeke said, pointing to a folder tucked underneath her arm. “I get the feeling you’re not making a courtesy call.”

“Perceptive as ever.” Mòrag sighed. She handed the folder to Zeke. He thumbed through a few pages before looking up at her.

“What does it say?” Azurda asked.

“They found their missing agent.” Zeke frowned. “Why come to us? There’s nothing the council can do about this that you can’t. Hell, this is why Robalt proposed your department in the first place.”

“If this was any other job, you’d be hearing about it in an after-action report.” Mòrag said. “But I can’t handle this one with the forces I have on hand.”

“Coalition military Drivers are under General Reez’s purview. If you want more Drivers for your department, I’d point you to him before any of us.”

“I’m not looking to fill ranks, Zeke. I’m looking for people I can trust. You’re the best Driver I know.”

“You want me to go on assignment personally?” Zeke laughed. “Finally, something to do! I’ve been bored out of my skull since dad stuck me here!” He clapped Mòrag on the shoulder and headed for the door. “We’ll need to get Pandoria first, though. She’s got my sword.”

“We’ll need to make a few more stops than that.” Mòrag smirked. “I did say we should have a reunion, after all.”

-

Nia stood in the middle of the crater, focusing her attention on the water pooling around her. The scar in Temperantia’s side was deep, and its bodily fluids had mixed with the ground and turned the entire area toxic. She could feel the wound through the water, deep in its fin. The area around it was covered in old burns, unable to heal. Very slowly, very carefully, Nia began to fix that. Water poured from her sleeve and into the wound, removing the burned areas and growing new tissue to close the breach. It was too big an area to heal totally, but closing the breach meant Temperantia would be in less pain.

As she withdrew her ether, she pulled the toxins out of the ground as well. Carried by the water, they collected in a sphere above her. When she was sure it was all gone, she signaled to the other Blades. Agate began to rearrange the stone of Temperantia’s outer skin, shoring up the work in ways Nia couldn’t. When that was done, she churned the soil, filling it with important nutrients. Sheba brought more water into the crater to enrich the soil. Nia passed off the sphere of toxins to Dahlia and Ursula, who froze it in a cube of ice. A Titan took that cube back to the Garden just as another one arrived with seeds. Vess and Boreas stepped up to begin planting them, and others pitched in. The Blades split into two groups, the bulk staying behind to reseed while a few Blades moved onto the next area to start the process over again.

Nia, however, broke away from both. As much as she wanted to help continue the work, she had other matters to attend to. She’d seen Azurda return while she was working, and he would have things to discuss. The others knew enough to finish without her.

“My lady.” Dromarch bowed as she approached. She climbed onto his back and he took off toward the Garden. They’d built it on Temperantia’s back nestled between two of its plates. They’d chosen that location partially because it was secluded and partially because Temperantia itself had requested it. The added structural support took stress off one of its spinal disks.

Over a hundred Blades and nearly twice as many Titans had moved to the Garden since its inception. Most of the Blades had been “liberated” by Torna and resonated with a Caretaker, but some were from more varied backgrounds. Runaways fleeing abusive Drivers. Blades whose Drivers had abandoned them. Flesh Eaters that had been in hiding and were now training to become Caretakers. A few Blades had even arrived with their Drivers, though Nia could count on one hand the humans that had stuck around for more than a week or two. The Garden was, after all, a safe haven for Blades and Titans. Humans were welcome guests, but very few were capable of living with them as equals, at least for now. She hoped that would change, in time.

The complex itself sprawled between several spines jutting out between the plates. With each new Blade and Titan that arrived, new accommodations had to be put up. It was constantly expanding in a kind of chaos that Nia had grown accustomed to. There were a few buildings that stood above that chaos, however. The central gardens were organized around a courtyard where they had enshrined Jin’s sword. Any Indoline or Judician salvage they could get their hands on went straight to Adenine’s workshop, where she worked on too many projects at once for Nia to keep track of. And then there was the Caretakers’ quarters, which Azurda sat outside of.

“Nia.” Mikhail said, walking up to greet her as Dromarch came to a halt. “How’s the latest restoration coming?”

“They should be done by tomorrow.” She replied. “Some unrefined ether will be arriving soon, if it isn’t here already. Make sure Crossette disposes of it properly. What’s the word from Azurda?”

“The Coalition is sending Garfont to look into our problem. And he brought back some guests who wanted to speak with you in person.” He motioned back toward Azurda. Zeke and Pandoria stood beside him, waving.

“Furry ears!” Zeke called out. He and Pandoria beamed.

“I’ll go check on that ether.” Mikhail smirked, patting Nia on the shoulder. He shoved her toward Zeke, and she splashed him with a tendril of water.

“Impressive setup you guys have here.” Zeke said as Nia approached.

“You’re always welcome to join up, you know.” Nia replied. “We could always use more Caretakers.”

“We’ll see.” Pandoria shrugged. “My Prince here might be out of a job, now that his dad’s retiring, so we might take you up on that.”

“Nonsense, Pandy.” Zeke said, posing with one leg up on a bench. “This is our chance to travel the world! See new sights! Meet new people! Get into all sorts of adventures!”

“Without your dad around to bail you out?” Nia asked. “Doesn’t sound like a smart move, if you ask me.”

“Since when have I ever needed his help?” Zeke turned up his nose.

“Would you like the list organized by most recent or most hilarious?” Pandoria asked. Zeke glared at her.

“Well at least you finally found time to visit.” Nia said. “Tora and Poppi have been by a few times, but I’ve not seen Mòrag since we moved here. How is she doing?”

“That’s actually why we’re here.” Pandoria frowned.

“She’s been running a task force of sorts.” Zeke said. “While the Coalition builds bridges, she goes after the people trying to burn them. It also doubled as a prison sentence of sorts, working to rehabilitate criminal Drivers and Blades. That brigand you and Rex took down in Gormott and those two mercenaries that Tora and Poppi fought in Mor Ardain are shining examples of the department’s success. For a time, Bradly and his entourage were members.”

“They let him out of prison?” Nia asked.

“He struck a deal with Niall during Malos’s attack on Alrest, apparently, then slipped away in the chaos. He resurfaced a few months after the department got off the ground. He and his Blades joined voluntarily, and for a while they were our best asset. Then one day, he simply vanished.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“They found him.” Pandoria said. “Three guesses as to where.”

Nia didn’t have to guess. She knew where he’d go. Leftheria.

“We’re going after him.” Zeke said. “We could use your help.”

“Just like the old days, huh?” Nia glanced back at Dromarch.

“I think I remember Bradly.” He said. “Gormotti man? We fought him in… Indol?”

“Very good.” Nia nodded. “We’ll have to have another session when we get back and see if the trip knocks any more memories loose.”

“I’ll handle things while you’re gone.” Mikhail said. “I’ve got another few days until my appointment anyway.”

“Right.” Nia nodded. She turned back to Zeke and Pandoria. “Count us in, then.”

-

“Feeling lucky?” Yachik asked, eyeing his opponent across the table. Benjamin kept his cool as he looked between his hand of cards, his chips, and the table. Despite his best efforts, sweat began to bead on his forehead.

“Check.” He said, sliding one of his stacks forward. The Blade smirked as they each showed their hands. Everyone around the table groaned as Yachik raked in the pot for the third hand in a row.

“This is unnatural.” Waldemar said. “If I wasn’t the dealer, I’d suspect you of cheating.”

“You’re all too expressive.” Yachik replied. “I can tell what’s in your hand just by looking at your face.”

“Well I’m not letting you pull one over on me like that again.” Benjamin said, checking his new hand.

“You said that last time, too.” Ixis smirked. She and Praxis tossed in their blinds.

“You all talk too much.” Newt said. Her larger hands were busy rearranging her chips as she checked her cards. The ante came around to her, and she folded.

“You’re just grumpy.” Theory said, almost in singsong as she put in her ante.

“Play more hands, Newt.” Yachik said. “You can’t win if you don’t play.”

“You also can’t lose if you don’t play.” Jac pointed out. “Which might be her strategy, going up against you.”

“Not true.” Yachik replied. “You’ll bleed chips either way. At this point, Newt, you’re just being stubborn. Fighting back a little might do you some good.”

“Just you wait.” She replied, expressionless. Yachik returned her non-expression with a smile as he put in his ante.

“Where’d you learn to play, anyway?” Waldemar asked, turning over the first set of cards on the table.

“My previous Driver was a problem gambler.” Yachik said. Everyone stared at him, trying to gauge whether or not he was lying. Or if that kind of retention was even possible. Next to him, Jac just shrugged.

“I bet twenty.” Benjamin said, tossing his chips in. The others checked.

“Raise, fifty.” Yachik said. He watched their faces as he pushed his chips into the pot.

“He’s bluffing.” Aegaeon said, leaning over Waldemar’s shoulder to get a look in. “He’s looking to see who’s dangerous and trying to figure out what they might have.” Yachik didn’t betray anything, but a few people began to reevaluate the state of the cards.

“How was the mission?” Jac asked, folding and standing up from the table. He gave a small salute as Perun and Brighid entered the hangar after Aegaeon, and they returned it. From deeper in the base, Naddie emerged. There were still pieces of her armor fused with her chest, but she’d healed remarkably well. Floren had to remove one of her lungs during surgery, though, and she walked with a cane. Nevertheless, she’d proven instrumental as the department’s operations manager.

“Nothing special.” Aegaeon replied. “I’ll tell you all about it after debrief. And don’t let Mòrag catch you guys slacking off like this.”

“The Director’s on leave.” Benjamin replied. “We’re in the clear for at least another-” He nearly jumped as Mòrag threw open a door behind him.

“I was just about to tell you all to take the rest of the day off.” Mòrag said, frowning. “It appears you’re already one step ahead of me.”

“Sir!” Benjamin shouted, rising from his seat to give Mòrag a salute. Ixis and Newt did the same.

“At ease.” She said. “I’ve already given Kaiser Squad the news, but a high priority target has come up. Cruiser Squad and Ardent Squad are to remain on standby while I take Firebrand Squad to deal with it. Operations may call you in if other missions come up, or if we request backup.”

“Firebrand Squad?” Praxis asked. “We don’t have a Firebrand squad.”

“It’s for this assignment only.” Brighid said. “Not all the members are department agents.”

“Getting the band back together.” Newt said.

“Something like that.” Aegaeon nodded.

“Why not bring us with you, sir?” Jac asked. He was one of the few agents who insisted on the constant formality, but Mòrag indulged him. It helped keep her grounded, in a way.

“We’re going after Banner Squad.” Mòrag said. That took Jac by surprise. It didn’t sit too well with the others either. Bradly and the rest of Banner Squad gave Cruiser Squad a bad thrashing when they defected. Not a proud moment in their collective histories.

“Give him hell for us.” Waldemar said. The others nodded.

“I’ll do that.” Mòrag nodded. She gave them a final salute before heading deeper into the base. Aegaeon and Brighid followed her as she made her way to the Guild’s factory.

“I assume Zeke agreed?” Brighid asked.

“He and Pandoria left to get Nia and Dromarch.” Mòrag replied. “Azurda took them. They’re going to meet us at the Leftherian Ridge.”

“That isn’t Coalition territory.” Aegaeon noted. “Did they sanction this mission?”

“What the council doesn’t know won’t hurt them.”

“Hence the unorthodox team.” Brighid said. “This isn’t an official department mission, and Mòrag’s still technically on leave.”

“You can’t even take a vacation properly.” Aegaeon sighed. “Not that I’ve got room to complain. I can’t seem to take a vacation at all.”

“Maybe after all of this is over.” Mòrag said. “You’ve more than earned it.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but-” An explosion from the factory’s workshop reverberated through the hallway. The trio picked up the pace, suspecting the explosion’s origins.

-

“Poppibuster development log fifteen.” Tora said in between fits of coughing. He ducked out of the cloud of smoke before continuing. “Latest attempt at threading Ether Furnace outputs has caused critical overload.” He waited for the smoke to clear a little before stepping forward to assess the damage. “Most of Poppibuster intact, but overload caused significant damage to ether connectors. Will have to be entirely replaced before project can continue.” He continued to list problems he encountered as he worked through the machine’s insides.

“Was that supposed to happen?” Niranira asked, turning to Professor Tatazo.

“Unlikely.” Tatazo sighed. “Grampypon’s Ether Furnace temperamental. Tora’s project is ambitious, but…” He glanced up at the shell of the Poppibuster, rigged up in the middle of the workshop and surrounded by a dozen crowded workstations. It stood about half as tall as Rosa, a Nopon-shaped compliment to the Artifice’s humanoid form. With the Zohar gone, Rosa had shut down with the rest of the Artifices. It now hung on the far wall of Tora’s workshop.

“Slow going.” Muimui said. “Threading process can’t vent properly without redesigning furnace casings. Powering Artifice-class weaponry will take much trial and error.”

“Not weaponry.” Tora said, stepping back from his inspection. “Is next step in development of Artificial Blades.”

“The Guild will find other uses for Project Syzygy.” Niranira said. “Blade Bots have already doubled factory efficiency. Will be shame to see them go.”

“Those were terms of agreement.” Lila frowned.

“And Niranira will uphold them.” He replied. “Just as soon as Professor Tatazo finishes their upgrades.”

“Process only as fast as Ether Furnace production.” Tatazo shrugged. “Cannot activate personality complexes without increased output of Dadapon Soosoo’s furnaces. The day Sonnypon quits blowing them up, we can begin retrofits.”

“Threading process will work.” Tora said. “Poppibuster sustained activation for six minutes this run. That double the uptime from previous build.”

“Will need results soon.” Niranira said. “The expedition needs Poppibuster in working order.” Niranira opened the door. Mòrag strode through it before he could leave, her Blades half a step behind her.

“We heard an explosion.” She said. Her good hand was gripping her sword’s handle.

“All well in hand.” Tora said, rummaging through a pile of assorted junk. “Muimui, grab spare ether connectors please?”

“And more sealant?” Muimui asked, walking over to a crate against the far wall.

“Please.” Tora replied. He found a device and began to use it to cut out the broken connectors.

“Is this a bad time?” Mòrag asked.

“Depends.” Tora shrugged. “What do friends need?”

“We’re going after Bradly.” Aegaeon said.

“Growly man from Indol?” Tora asked. “The one who stabbed Emperor?”

“That’s the one. We want your help.”

“Poppibuster is not a weapon.” Tora turned and crossed his arms. His wings still worked at the repairs behind his back. “And besides, project only in preliminary stages.”

“We want _your_ help.” Brighid said. “You and Poppi.”

“Oh.” He glanced over to his shield and gauntlets, gathering dust in the corner. He’d been looking for an excuse to test out the replacement in a live fire scenario, but… “It’s not a Poppi day.”

“This is important.” Mòrag said. “Where is she?”

Tora glanced at Tatazo. “Dadapon, could you-”

“Lila and Tatazo can handle repairs.” He smiled. “Go do what you need to do.”

“Thanks.” He set his tools down and walked over to grab his weapons.

“What is this?” Brighid asked, studying one of Tora’s projects as he got himself strapped up. It was an Artificial Blade that looked like Poppi with blonde hair and without her scarf. Wires ran out of her Ether Furnace to a device sitting on the workbench.

“Poppi Mark Two.” Tora replied. “Supposed to be Esra’s new body. Still missing some pieces, though. Neural connections require hardware unique to Morythan technology. But Guild won’t authorize expedition to Morytha without Poppibuster, so project shelved for now.”

“How is Poppi dealing with all of this?”

“Mark Two her idea.” Tora sighed and headed for the door. “It’ll be easier if Tora just show friends instead.”

-

Esrafil came to a stop on the ridge outside the base. It was nestled in the mountain range that overlooked the new Coalition capital city. She’d spent much of the day in the valley below, walking the city streets and meeting new faces. Two days before, she was exploring a forest north of the city. She wanted to know as much as she could about the world that had replaced the one she knew.

_Returning already?_ Poppi asked. _Esra has several hours left in her day._

“This un- I felt an explosion.” Esra replied. “From Tora’s workshop.”

_Masterpon always tinkering with something. Explosions bound to happen. Masterpon will be safe as long as Lila is there._

“I just want to be sure.” Esra opened the door. Tora and Mòrag were standing on the other side.

“Poppi.” Mòrag said. “We were just coming to get you.”

“Sorry.” Esra said. “It’s my day on the rotation. Did you need Hos-” She shook her head. “Did you need Poppi for something?”

“A friend of hers needs our help.” Mòrag said. “We were hoping Tora and Poppi could accompany us to help them.”

“Alright.” Esra sighed. “If it’s important to Poppi, it’s important to me. But I’d better get my six hours later.” She blinked, and her eyes changed from blue back to their normal orange.

“Of course.” Poppi said. Her sword formed in her hand. “What do friends need?”

“We’re going to Leftheria.” Brighid said. “Rex is in danger.”

-

“Rex!” Corrine shouted. She passed Roc a pair of dishes to set on the table. “I think Mark’s here! Can you get the-”

“On it!” Rex shouted. He removed the last of his diving gear and came back downstairs.

There was another knock at the door, loud and heavy. Rex paused.

“Rex!” Corrine shouted. “The door!”

“Auntie.” He grabbed his scythes from the rack by the door. Both Corrine and Roc paused.

The house shook as something struck the door. It jumped in its frame, and the hinges threatened to rip out of the wall.

“Get upstairs.” Rex hissed. Corrine didn’t waste any time arguing. She shut off the stove and ducked into another room to grab the smaller children. Roc readied a ball of ether in his hands. Rex motioned for him to stand down. As soon as Corrine got the children upstairs, he threw the door wide open.

Bradly stood on the porch, one hand on his katana. His Blades were arrayed in an arc behind him, except for Zenobia, who stood off to his side.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” Bradly said.

“I know Auntie’s Braised Cloud Sea Shark is good, but…” Rex sighed and hooked his scythes onto his belt. Bradly frowned. “Well, whatever. What’s a few more guests at the table, right? You might as well come in.” Rex stepped aside and motioned to the table.

“This isn’t playtime, kid.” Bradly spat. “You know why I’m here, right?”

“Niall said you’d show up eventually.” Rex shrugged and took a seat at the table. “But Pyra and Mythra aren’t here.”

“Form a perimeter!” Bradly barked. “When the Aegis gets here, tell her we’ve got her precious Driver!” He stepped into the house, motioning for Perceval to join him. He closed the door behind him and took the seat opposite Rex.

“You really didn’t hear the news?” Rex asked. He took his necklace off and placed it on the table. Pyra’s inert Core Crystal hung from the end. “They’re gone. There are no more Aegises. And I’m just a salvager.”

“Don’t insult me. No one could have taken her out.”

“No one did. But we set out to find Elysium, and this was the price she was willing to pay to reach it.” He put his necklace back on.

“The Flamebringer told me the stories. I’m not sure I believe them.”

“You can believe whatever you want. But she’s gone, and we’re here.”

“That much I understand.” Bradly stood up. “Which means I’ll have to settle for the Flamebringer after I’m done with you.”

“And what’s that going to accomplish?”

“Power.” Bradly grinned. “If I defeat the Flamebringer, that’ll make me the most powerful Driver in the world. No one will be able to stop me. Though, seeing as how you gave up the Aegis’s power, the ultimate power, I don’t think it’s a sentiment you’d understand.”

“That kind of mindless grasping only leads to destruction. If you only use your power for yourself, pretty soon you’ll have nothing left.”

“There’s already nothing left!” Bradly shouted, drawing his katana. “The world ended, kid! We’re just riding out the final stages in its corpse!”

“You’re wrong.” Rex stood up. “The world didn’t end. It changed. And we need to change with it.”

“Enough of this.” Black flames erupted along Bradly’s katana and he charged. Rex sidestepped the swing and drove the flat of his scythe into Bradly’s stomach. Before Bradly could move, he fired a blast of wind, knocking Bradly back into Perceval. Roc struck them with another blast, throwing them back through the doors.

Bradly tried to stand but felt a boot press against his head. He looked up to see Mòrag staring down at him, sword poised to pierce his temple. His other Blades were likewise restrained, and a pair of Titans crested the horizon.

“We can change.” Rex said, crouching down beside Bradly. “We have changed. We will keep changing. We wouldn’t have gotten this second chance otherwise. The Elysium Pyra sacrificed herself to give us.”

“Very poetic.” Zeke said, dragging Zenobia over to them. Mòrag reached out and placed a small disk on her back. Ether netting spread out from it, and after a few moments she didn’t have enough strength left to keep up the kicking and screaming.

“And reckless.” Nia said. She slid Corvin over to Mòrag, who placed an ether net on him, and then held him up for one of the incoming Titans to grab. “Were you planning on fighting them all by yourself?”

“If I had to.” Rex shrugged. “But I had a feeling it wouldn’t come to that.”

“You’re lucky we arrived when we did.” Brighid sighed. “You really should be more careful, you know.”

“Someone was going to come looking for me eventually. At least it was someone I could handle.”

“It was a lucky shot.” Bradly spat as Mòrag dragged him to his feet. She placed two ether nets on him before passing him off to Nia’s people.

“The Coalition isn’t taking him in?” Aegaeon asked.

“This isn’t Coalition territory, and we’re not here on a mission.” Mòrag replied. “We’re just visiting a friend is all.”

“Rex-Rex!” Tora shouted, running up and wrapping his wings around Rex. “Tora not seen friend in so long! Have much to talk about!”

“Glad to hear it.” Rex laughed. “You guys should visit more often. Food always tastes better with company, especially if Auntie Corrine’s cooking it.”

“Well, My Prince and I are sort of jobless right now.” Pandoria said. “So we’d love to stay a few days, if you’ll put us up.”

“I’ll have to ask Auntie.” He smiled and broke away from Tora. “If you want to stay for dinner, though, we’d be more than happy to have you. And you all can tell me about all the adventures I passed up.”

“Regretting the quiet life?” Gramps asked.

“Not one bit.” Rex replied. “I said we’d change the world, and…” He looked back out across the village. Some of the villagers had emerged from their homes amidst the fighting. He gave them a wave, letting them know everything was alright. He turned back to head inside, beckoning the others to join him. “I think it’s safe to say we succeeded. That’s good enough for me.”


End file.
